


Remember, IVs are in vein, not in vain

by thelabours



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, EVERYONE'S A DOCTOR!AU, Ensemble Cast, Gen, I REPEAT IM NOT A DOCTOR, Im not a doctor, M/M, Major Character Injury, YET lol, dubious medical terminologies, lmao nothing here is original except maybe my research hours, or other medical personnel, tendou has an fma mug lmao tendork, there's (unrealistically) no angst, there's like one grey's anatomy reference here somewhere hmu if u find it, violence against a coffee maker, yeah alright theres angst now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 14:26:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 17,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8671024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelabours/pseuds/thelabours
Summary: Snippets of a week and a half in the lives of these doctors.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was written with welcome to my life by Simple Plan ( [x](https://youtu.be/r0U0AlLVqpk) ) playing in the background because you cannot convince me Shirabu isn't emo. and this is probably what Semi thinks all day, every day too.

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture,  
** **Head of Internal Medicine, Dr. Eita Semi’s Office.  
** **20xx/xx/xx.  
Monday.**

“I need a coffee, stat.”

“You’ve already had _four_ , Satori, do you have any semblance of self control?”

“Don’t have time for a lecture right now, Semisemi, I’ll see you later, I have a patient waiting in the clinic, and I actually want to swallow an entire bottle of advil, since your stupid coffee machine won't. Give. Me. My. Fucking. Coffee.” Each word was enunciated with a surprising amount of venom, followed by the sound of someone hitting the ancient coffeemaker with a mug. It is a sound Semi is very familiar with, although he would prefer the contrary.

The drip-drip of the coffee machine was heard as the faintly refreshing smell wafted over to Semi. Tendou, meanwhile, had swallowed the contents of his fullmetal alchemist mug in one gulp (how he managed to do so without burning his tongue never failed to mystify Semi), and was currently in the process of making it to the clinic in record time, so Dr. Washijio wouldn’t chew him out on fewer hours in the clinic, throwing a “send Kenjirou-kun my way once you’re done chewing him out!” behind.

Semi huffs. He does _not_ chew out his young resident. He's only looking out for him, right?

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture,  
** **General Clinic, Room 311.  
** **20xx/xx/xx.  
Monday.**

“Hey, hi, I’m your doctor, my name’s Dr. Tendou. So what’s bothering you today?” came out in one breath as Tadashi watched the red haired man literally _sprint_ inside while looking at his watch.

“Hi, I’m Tsukishima Tadashi and, uh, I guess my knee hurts?” the last bit came out as a question, but Tendou paid no mind as his eyes scanned the patient’s file.

Disbelievingly he asked,” Why are you here?”

“U-um, I just told you, my knee-“

“No, no I mean why are you _here_ , it says you’re Dr. Tsukishima Kei’s spouse, he’s an orthopaedic, isn’t he?”

“I’m not sure if that what you’re supposed to look at in a patient’s file, but Kei isn’t in town so he referred me to you, saying you two worked together, and here I am, I guess”, Tadashi suddenly isn’t so sure about Tsukishima’s proposal. True, he had heard about Tendou’s wild guesses that turned out to be spot on and was a phenomenal part of their team. Tendou is a good at what he does, he’d said. And ‘good’ in Tsukishima’s vocabulary was high praise.

“Oh really?” Also guessing correctly Tsukishima’s strange ways of lauding makes Tendou’s eyes gleam. Now he has something to hold over Tsukishima once he returns from the Annual Orthopaedics’ Association meeting.

Taking one look at the offending leg, Tendou can tell its not just a simple inflamed bruise, and paired with the x-ray scan and blood tests, Tendou is sure he has hit upon the correct prognosis. He takes moment to reframe his verdict.

“OK, so your knee shows swelling and inflammation, and your file says it’s a recurring pain?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think too much of it, I just thought it was simple sprain because I play volleyball pretty regularly.” 

A knock at the door interrupts them and opens to reveal Shirabu Kenjirou, standing as if trying to decide if he can punch someone run away now or if he’d be caught in the process.

“Ah, Shirabu, glad you’re here. Did you read the patient’s file? What do you think? We’re looking for a diagnosis here.”

As two sets of expectant eyes land on him, Shirabu isn’t thrown off, not after nearly _four_ years of residency. This isn’t the first time Tendou has thrown a sudden question at him and expected him to answer immediately. 

Shutting his eyes, he takes a breath, and starts. “The swelling and inflammation indicate some sort of arthritis, paired with the x-ray scans. The blood tests, however, indicate presence of gram negative bacteria, identified as _Staphylococcus aureus_.” 

He opens his eyes and looks at Tendou, whose face hasn’t betrayed any emotion yet.

“How are you feeling?” the question is thrown at Tadashi. 

“Not very well, actually, I think I’m coming down with a cold or something.”

Shirabu looks back at Tendou and says, “Infectious arthritis.”

“Correct. How will you proceed with treatment?”

Shirabu considers the question. “Intravenously administered antibiotics like oxacillin or vancomycin for 3-4 weeks after which it should be adjusted as required. Anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen to bring down the swelling, coupled with physio. Sufficient rest and lots of fluid intake to help with the fever.” Looking at a slightly panic stricken Yamaguchi he says, “don’t worry, it’s the kind of arthritis that’s sort of curable.”

Handing Yamaguchi a sheet of what looks like chicken scratch, Tendou says, “good job, Shirabu! Go back to Semi’s office, I’ll meet you guys there during lunch. Tadashi-kun, I’ll have a nurse take you to a room and prep you, OK? Don’t run away. Tell Tsukki I said ‘hi’.” Humming to himself, Tendou leaves Room 311 to the nurses’ station. Tadashi looks less than thrilled and very confused but says nothing except to thank Shirabu whose face is the very picture of thankless misery. 

Oh _joy_ , another meeting with Semi Eita, his favourite attending physician. Great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so some context:  
> Tendou is an orthopaedic, and Shirabu is a resident in Internal Medicine (or General Medicine, i don't think the nomenclature matters so much) which is why Tendou gets away with quizzing him.
> 
> so, like i said before, i'm not a doctor, so the credit for that wonderful diagnosis goes to:  
> [this website](http://www.webmd.com/arthritis/septic-arthritis-symptoms-diagnosis-and-treatment#1)  
> [and this one](http://reference.medscape.com)  
> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> before you read this, i love you, watari. you da man.  
> {CONTEXT: Oikawa is the Head of Cardiac Surgery and is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon. Iwaizumi specialises in Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, but at short notice, fills in as a regular Cardiac Surgeon. Shimizu is an Anaesthesiologist (feel free to guess what kind).}

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.  
** **Operating Theatre Complex-II.  
** **Observation Room outside OR-3.  
** **Monday.  
** **20xx/xx/xx.**

At 28 years of age, and having gotten through med school, there’s not much that ruffles Yahaba’s feathers.

Except watching Dr. Oikawa and Dr. Iwaizumi perform a 4 hour open heart surgery on his best friend, and not being able to do anything other than set up the heart-lung machine, the ventilator, and the continuous EKG machine.

Replaying Shinji’s fall, as he gasped for breath, makes Yahaba shudder in guilt. If only he’d spotted the signs earlier and not right outside the café they were supposed to have their long due catch up on Yahaba’s only day off in what seemed like months.

With shaking hands he’d dialled the ambulance, and ridden with Shinji all the way to the ER where Oikawa-san (Head of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, M.D., M.S., F.S.C.A.I., PhD.) who had been summoned immediately by an increasingly irritated (and rather worried) Iwaizumi-san, from the Centre of Cardiac Sciences on floor 1), let him tag along, understanding his worry. He’d even let him take Shinji to the grumpy (and borderline rude) anaesthesiologist to administer the drug, who’d positively glared at them, eyes accusing them of interrupting his break time.

Not having the patience to deal with the blond _thug_ , his brain supplied, he’d held Shinji’s hand when his eyes closed and he was taken to the operation theatre on the gurney. That’s when Oikawa-san had put down his foot after Yahaba refused to move from next to the heart-lung machine. It didn’t help that the blond anaesthesiologist was giving him the stink eye, waiting to place the endotracheal tube in Shinji’s throat.

“Shigeru, I know its difficult for you to deal with this right now, but don’t worry too hard, alright? Don’t beat yourself up about that bullshit about ‘not spotting the symptoms earlier’ and ‘I’m a terrible friend’. You did well to pin-point what exactly seemed to be wrong and assessed the symptoms and called Iwa-chan and I. You’ll be a great cardiologist one day. For now, go take a day off. We’ll notify you once the surgery is over.” With a pat on the back, he marched in to change into operating scrubs.

“He’s in capable hands, you know.” Came a soft remark, roughed around the edges. Iwaizumi-san, already dresses in scrubs, regarded Yahaba carefully, and offered a small smile. “I know it's crazy for him to tell you not to worry but honestly, don’t beat yourself up. I promise you, the surgery will be successful.” 

Yahaba knew that Iwaizumi-san was a man of his word and didn’t make frivolous promises. He clung on to that little tidbit of hope with all his heart.

Instead of going home, or even to his seniors’ offices to rest and wait out the surgery, Yahaba stood outside, watching carefully.

A disembodied Iwaizumi-esque voice was speaking calmly, ”patient Watari Shinji, 27, suffering from damaged aortic valves. The aortic valve handles all the blood being pumped back out to the body. The patient’s pulmonary valve is similarly shaped and can usually be swapped out with the damaged aortic valve. I suggest we go ahead with the Ross Procedure.”

“Agreed. The pulmonary valve is usually under less stress because the right pumping chamber does not need to generate as much force to push blood to the lungs. Therefore, a replacement valve can be more likely to succeed in the pulmonary position because demand on this valve is less. Even after the pulmonary valve is moved into the aortic valve position, it can continue to grow normally. We’ll monitor him as closely as possible in the next few days. I’m sure Shigeru will be happy to assist.” Came Oikawa-san’s voice.

“Kyouken-chan, is the anesthetic working? Alright, let’s begin. Today is a beautiful day to save lives and I believe in you all.”

Watching them work, Yahaba goes through the steps in his head- they’ll start with the sternotomy, while the heart-lung machine pumps oxygenated blood around Shinji’s body. Next, his heart rate is reduced with a cooling solution and medication, after which, the damaged aortic valve is removed and the pulmonary valve is harvested. The pulmonic area is reconstructed, and a homograft valve is inserted into the pulmonic position. Knowing the steps, from his last year of med school, when he was witness to a similar surgery, didn’t ease his anxiety. If anything, it makes him want to throw up the pastry he hadn’t finished at the café. He, more than anyone (except, maybe Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san), knows that just the primary risks were pretty high, entailing arrhythmias, strokes, and heart attacks.

Yahaba hadn’t moved from the window in the last 4 hours, carefully watching all that he can see. He can vaguely tell that there are patients and hospital personnel on the go around him, he can tell there are surgeons going in and out of OR-3, but he knows Drs. Iwaizumi and Oikawa are focused on the task at hand, and he believes, wants to believe, oh so much, that they won’t let him down.

After a majority of the valve replacement replacement done, with only the cleaning up and stitching left, Yahaba turned and wobbled outside to one of the seats, and put his head in his hands. He felt like he’d aged a 100 years in 4 hours and felt like he empathized with Atlas on a spiritual level.

A nudge to his shoulder shakes him from his stupor. Seeing it’s just the rude/hot anesthesiologist from earlier, Shigeru has more patience but negative energy to deal with brash behaviour at the moment.

“Your friend’s holding up OK. I saw you waiting for him outside the OR. Here. Shimizu-san’s in there now, monitoring the anesthesia dosages.” Came gruff comfort.

He handed Shigeru a cup of steaming hot hospital shitty vending machine espresso which smells like comfort to him. Wow. Maybe he’s going to have to reassess his view on the ‘rude’ ("maybe replce it with sexy idk, Shigeru" "Shut up, inner monologue") anesthesiologist.

“I’m Kyoutani, by the way. Kyoutani Kentarou, resident anaesthesiologist.” Oh. Shigeru hadn’t realized he’d spoken the last part out loud.

By now, Kyoutani has seemed to run out of steam due to presumable physical fatigue and possible embarrassment (if his red tinged ears are any indication) and sat down next to Yahaba who was more emotionally drained than a sentient sink. Which is probably why when he blearily opens his eyes midway through his nap, he saw iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san, still in their scrubs, covering him and the body whose shoulder he was using as a pillow with a large blanket, with weary smiles on their faces and, all that Yahaba can feel in that moment is contentment and relief, filled with warmth emanating from his newfound acquaintance. He lays his head back on Kyoutani’s shoulder and is asleep in moments. 

Until 3 hours later when he has to do the paperwork that Oikawa has been neglecting. Oh well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I'M NOT A DOCTOR so the credit for the diagnosis and procedure goes to:  
> [this cool beans website](http://www.raneyzusman.com/heart-surgery/the-ross-procedure.html)  
> [and this one](http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Futakuchi has an internal monologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love Futakuchi very much.

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture,**  
**Floor 1, East Wing.**  
**Radiology Centre, Lab 1.**  
**Monday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

“Radiologists have been looking at film images ever since Roentgen first discovered x-rays and obtained an image of his wife's hand. However, since the 1980s, radiologists have leapt into the digital world and view images on computer monitors with increasing frequency. Picture archiving and....I literally don’t care, why do these little shits have to know the _history_?” Futakuchi sighs out to no one. Ever since he’s been told he’s going to hold a talk about his job as a radiologist at Date Technical School, he’s been reciting his speech out loud whenever he’s alone.

Having graduated from a technical school and switching over to medicine came as a shock, but specializing in radiologic technology was not. Date Tech was a pretty prestigious school of science, and having graduated with honors in maths is a source of pride to him. 

Which gives him all the more reason to make a fantastic impression on the kids at his old school. As alumnus, he considers it his duty.

Briefly, he thought back to his time there, the mist of nostalgia settling around him. He thought of his time in between classes annoying his friends with surprisingly well planned pranks, at the Olympiads in his first year, his volleyball club in his second year, and his career as captain. He still can’t believe his seniors chose _him_ to lead their Iron Wall, as it was called, to victory. He’d soon realized that leading a team, much less shouldering responsibilities of others’ actions weighed more than what met the eye. 

After their loss to Aoba Johsai, he’d learned his lessons and hopefully passed on most of his wisdom to his juniors, and vowed to never cross a line with harassment like he had with his own seniors. His mind wandered to his teammates. 

With the exception of Moniwa, and Kamasaki, by association, with them dating and whatnot, he hasn’t particularly kept in touch with anyone (when confronted with this information, he will defend himself, vehemently arguing that med school was grueling, even for a handsome, strapping young lad like him.)

Of everyone he’s had the fortune of meeting, he probably missed Aone the most. Quiet, understanding Aone, his fellow middle blocker, and crush for the longest time. With a half formed smirk on his lips he wondered if that was the reason for them parting ways and moving on.  
He sighs. 

Reassessing his life, he acknowledges that yes, he doesn’t have many friends. It isn’t for lack of charisma in his personality, but lack of trying. Then again, he has Moniwa (and Kamasaki, but he keeps scolding him like he’s 16 again, so he doesn’t count) and his new targets for torture, the cardiology resident, Yahaba, the Internal Med resident, Shirabu, and the new reconstructive surgery consultant, Ennoshita, but he knew that’s only because they’d met each other during their volleyball days, albeit on different sides of the net. 

With the exception of one CT/MRI scan for Dr. Oikawa (who he really doesn’t get, how does can a person spend so much time with so many people and still look cheerful?), an emergency case, he was told, today was quiet. As fourth year resident he’s pretty much left to his own devices most of the time which gave him an awful lot of time alone. 

He didn’t really mind navigating the long lonely white halls, or not gossiping with the nurses, whose station was pretty much on the other side of the hospital on a different floor, so no one really came in, except Ennoshita who came in to collect the pre-operative CT angiography scans and three-dimensional image post processing for deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstructive surgery for a patient due for surgery tomorrow. 

Futakuchi doesn’t really care. He’s as much a lab technician alongside his regular role as a radiologist (because he’s one of the few people qualified to actually _use_ the high-tech machines in the hospital) and didn’t really interact with patients much. Futakuchi isn’t forced to keep in contact with many people, except when he has to supervise the interventional radiology interns on floor 3.

Moniwa came in whenever he had time, of course, and Futakuchi always wondered why he bothered to because all Futakuchi did was make really bad medicine/doctor jokes, and he frequently went out to dinner with Kamasaki, even when Moniwa is absent due to work. Futakuchi had a sneaking suspicion it is because they feel sorry for his self-imposed isolation. Hah. 

He is about to return to his speech and re-edit some stuff when Yachi runs in at full speed, yelling words like ‘fracture’ and ‘scary tall’. Lips quirking up with endearment, he takes pity on the younger blonde and passed her a bottle of water to calm her down. 

Swatting it away, Yachi drags him up to his feet and hollers, “quick, to the X-Ray room, we tried paging you, but you didn’t respond.” Oops, Futakuchi thinks. At least the X-Ray center is just a few doors down the hall. 

“Go on ahead let me grab my coat I'll be right there.” Sighing as he shrugged on the starched white coat, Futakuchi quickens his pace to room 199, hands slipping into his coat pockets.

He stopps short right in front of the door in disbelief. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop on the occupants, but he can’t help it. “….ray scans, after which I recommend you visit Dr. Tendou, our top orthopedic, in case of uncalled for pain. You really should speak up, you know we could’ve prevented the condition from getting this bad. Just because I haven’t seen you in so long doesn’t permit you to go around breaking bones.” Continued a disembodied Moniwa voice. Huh. Moniwa is in mother hen mode again. Why was he here though? Didn’t he have clinic hours right now? Who is this person he’s talking to? He only spoke that way to his juniors back in…..

In his discombobulation, Futakuchi had opened the door and stepped in. 

“Ah, Futakuchi, glad you could make it, please answer your pager in time, it’s not just an accessory on your person.” Moniwa’s dry tone makes Futakuchi flinch mildly. 

“I’m here now, I assume you want an X-Ray sc…” Futakuchi’s eyes widen in shock, his sentence trailing off as he looks past Moniwa to see a white haired, burly man with his leg propped up, on the gurney.  
Still in disbelief, fleetingly he wondered if fate had overheard his thoughts earlier and worked her magic to give Futakuchi some kind of a twisted second chance. Impulsively, he decides to take it.

“Is it….is it really you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> credit to my physics textbook for scientific history. not required, but thanks anyway :////
> 
> let me know what you guys thought of Futacutie here. what a dork.
> 
> I promise the next chapter will have more dialogue, bear with me, it's my first time with such fics i'm just a smol pls b gentle


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> there's external dialogue. finally, yes, i'm aware.

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.**  
**Break Room, Floor 3.**  
**Tuesday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

“I think I’m going to pass out.” Muffled words from Asahi are heard, who has his head in his hands.

“A fuu gwong fu v ok?”

THWACK! “Satori, empty your mouth before you talk. And don’t terrorize Asahi.” Semi adds as an afterthought.

“Hey, Semisemi, you know I’m always looking out for our kin, right? I only want what’s best for them.” Grins back Tendou, rubbing the back of his head where Semi had knocked sense into him.

“That’s a lie and you know it.” Snorts Oikawa as he enters, having caught the tail end of the conversation. “You swapped my milkbread for sourdough yesterday. It was traumatic.”

“Oi, if you’re still whining about that, I’m leaving.” Iwaizumi, who’d followed Oikawa into the break room, stands to leave.

“Look, Oikawa, its not my fault you’re dim-witted enough to think sourdough tastes like stale milkbread, and then proceed to eat it.” Tendou shrugs.

“Semi-chan, aren’t you going to save me from these bullies?” whines Oikawa.

“No.”

“Semi-ch-“

“I said _no_.”

“No to what?” comes from Sawamura Daichi, who has been looking for a break since this morning, when a child threw up on him. The hardships of being a paediatric surgeon, honestly. “I wouldn’t say no to coffee, though. Anyone want some? Not you, Tendou, Semi will literally have my head and not even Kageyama can save me then.”

Tendou, who was about to agree to a cup, is now pouting at Semi, who is steadfastly ignoring his colleague. 

“I’ll have a cup, thanks. And one for this idiot, too, with extra sugar.” says Iwaizumi, pointing at Oikawa, who is leaning on his shoulder, scrolling through his Instagram feed.

“I think I’m going to be sick.” Asahi leaves in a hurry, no doubt to the bathroom, and throw up. Poor guy, thinks Daichi. A giant with a glass heart, I seems only babies make him feel calm and in control again. He’s going to have to get it out of Asahi later, maybe over lunch, if their schedules line up.

“Oh, hey Daichi, are you making coffee? Make me a cup, too. This kid threw up on me, can you believe it?” if it were anyone else making that remark, Semi might have turned his judgemental eye on them, but given that it was Suga, being the kind and compassionate paediatrician that he is, makes him raise an eyebrow.

“Was it Takumi? Because he threw up me too. D’you know what his parents did? They _laughed_. I was so ready to jump out the window.” Daichi shudders, recollecting the horrible parents and their equally horrible child.

“Yeah, I handed him off to Nametsu-san. She’s probably going to feed him his medicines disguised as protein shakes or something.”

Everyone in the room collectively shivers at the thought of Nametsu Mai’s protein shakes. They almost sympathise with the child, having all been victim to the nurse’s monstrous concoctions at least once in their noble careers in this hospital.

“Oh, by the way, checked in the closet but I didn’t have any shirts, so I borrowed one of yours, is that OK?” 

“Mm, Of course. Here.” Suga receives his coffee with a kiss on the cheek.

“You guys are so gross.” Oikawa says, not looking up from his phone.

“As if you guys are any better, you made out in front of Shirabu and Yahaba, and they stopped arguing because they were so shocked.” Scoffs Tendou.

“Yeah, and what about the time you kissed in the scrubbing area before surgery? Don’t think I wasn’t there.” (Daichi.)

“Or in the clinic. You two don’t even _have_ clinic duties.” (Tendou, who is salty about this.)

“Or that time in the bar, during our residency, y’know, when we got our placements.” (Suga, who remembers that the kiss had turned into something slightly more NSFW.)

“Or when-“

“Ok, Ok, that’s enough. Thanks for the coffee, Daichi, I have patients waiting, I’ll see you guys around.” Iwaizumi, leaves, his face flushed pink due to embarrassment. “Bye Iwaizumi!” chorused the rest with a grin. “Bye Iwa-chan! I’ll see you at lunch!” chirps Oikawa, as he sips his diabetes caffeine cup of death.

“Yo gafs a fo gwof.”

“Satori, for the love of god…”

Hastily swallowing the last of his chocolate sandwich, he says, “Sorry, Semisemi, but since I don’t get any coffee, you don’t get any peace. See y’all later!” And just like that he leaves.

“He’s honestly such a drama queen. I need an advil.” Semi is in Asahi position. “No, actually, make it a whole bottle.”

“He might be a drama queen, but he’s your drama queen, they way Oikawa is Iwaizumi’s drama queen. Here, have some coffee.” Offers Diachi, ignoring the indignant squawks of “Sawacchi, you take that back _right now_ , I’m not a drama queen! Suga-chan, please save me from your boyfriend’s bullying!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love the banter here guys it was so much fun to write, i promise the future chapters will have more couple dynamics and stuff just give me a chance pls ;-;
> 
> let me know if you liked it, yo
> 
> aaaaaand i'm also aware that this chapter has nothing to do with the wizarding world of harry potter but hey, i was listening to [this](https://youtu.be/LJakckhuY80) song on repeat because yay daisuga lmao
> 
> (pls watch the film too its so cute i can't)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OK so i love Ennoshita i couldn't leave him out. also, i'm sorry for a late update!! it's exam season :c
> 
> enjoy!
> 
> (s/o to my mom who did a Tanaka and inspired this chapter)

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture,**   
**outside Operation Theatre Complex-III, Floor 6.**   
**Cosmetology and Aesthetic Surgery.**   
**Tuesday.**   
**20xx/xx/xx.**

Ennoshita doesn’t like interrupting people when they talk. He likes it when people talk about their weird, but understandable obsessions. He assumes that since his eyes are naturally droopy, and his face, placid and complacent, made him seem like an easy-going guy. Which he is. 

Sure, he has other interests, and he didn’t have a Masters in Surgery, like his friends, but that didn’t mean Ennoshita was any less passionate about his job. Which brings him back to his point. He’s a proper people person and loves listening to people talk, with that sparkle in their eye, and zeal in their veins.

In fact, his temperament is so peaceful, it brings even the most reticent (read: salty) people to engage in conversation with him. For instance, Dr. Tsukishima loves dinosaurs, and can talk about them for hours. (Ennoshita knows from experience, believe him). You’d think Tsukishima was a palaeontologist at a dig site, rather than an orthopaedic at one of the best hospitals in the country.

Even so, Ennoshita’s learnt a few facts (like how certain dinosaurs had fleas with beaks the size of a modern syringe needle), and that when he talks about dinosaurs at home, his spouse, Tadashi, invariably falls asleep. Or, how Yamagata Hayato, an immunologist who looks like he’d rather people mind their own business, once found himself in Ennoshita’s own office, telling him about the absolute blasphemy the people over at _Immunology Today_ had printed, and how they _utterly besmirched_ his absolute favourite viroid (at which, Ennoshita was tempted to point out that a 29-year-old shouldn’t really have a favourite viroid, but he digresses).

Or the time when the infamous Dr. Oikawa himself conversationally let slip during one day that he was quite fascinated by extraterrestrial life, or how his colleague, Dr. Iwaizumi, was a huge Godzilla fan, even though he looked like he ate troublemakers for breakfast.

What Ennoshita has learnt in his time at the Miyagi hospital is that, for perhaps the first time in his life, he was going to interrupt Futakuchi’s tirade of texts about his best friend from high school, with whom he is clearly in love with, and advise him to just talk-

His line of thought is interrupted by a few shouts and _a wheelchair_ hurtling past him at breakneck speed. Without thinking twice, he runs after it. The person pushing it (what was his name, Ennoshita knows him from somewhere) seems to have caught on to the chase and has redoubled his efforts to escape his clutches. After a mad rush of turning sharply at corners, trying not to trip up the tired and snappy DNPs at the nursing station, and waiting for a slow line of paediatric patients go by, chattering away happily to Dr. Sugawara, slightly amused at Ennoshita’s (fruitless, baseless) pursuit, Ennoshita sees the dude-he-has-seen-somewhere and a bald guy in the wheelchair at the reception, noisily asking Misaki Hana-san the directions to someplace. 

He musters all the courage he can and marches up to them, and berates, ”hey, you guys, this is a hospital, you cant just go around behaving like kids at the park! There’re patients behind doors and you’re disturbing them. Don’t you have any respect for this institution?” Having run out of steam he stops and pants a little. Hey, don’t judge him, it's been a while since he’d worked out, running isn’t something he did voluntarily if he could help it.

The shorter guy (the one whose name Ennoshita can’t recall) pipes up, "hey, you’re Chikara, right? The new surgery consultant dude in Cosmetology? We’ve met before, remember?”

Slightly taken aback by the usage of his first name, it jolts the memory of the name to his mind. Nishinoya Yuu, the lab technician he’d told off for interrupting his conversation with Dr. Azumane, (the hospital’s only neonatologist). They’d been in deep, discussing the pros and cons of surgeries mothers go through after birth when Nishinoya had (Ennoshita crosses his heart and hopes to die) flown across the room to hug Azumane, all while screaming, “ASAHIIIIII SAAAAAAAN!” Ennoshita had been miffed even though the gentle giant seemed to be expecting it.

“Yo, Chikara, we’re still here, are you OK, hello?” Ennoshita’s eyes refocus on the hand waving in front of his eyes. “You zoned out there, you alright?”  
“Noya-san, of course he’s not, he’s got eyebags.” Wow. The Nishinoya’s baldy friend sure had a mouth on him. Ennoshita was in half a mind to tell him that his eyebags were quite fashionable, thank you very much, and were accessories that most doctors sported, it was pretty much a trademark.

“Wow, Ryuu, you’re totally right! Chikara has only been here a few months, though, give him some time.”

Ennoshita doesn’t want to interrupt, so he looks to Hana, who’s already returned to her seat at the reception table. She gives him a thumbs up, and steadfastly ignores his silent pleas.

In the midst of this cataclysm that is his mild discomfort, he hears a yelp of pain. Focusing on the two troublemakers again, he hears, “hey, Ryuu are you OK, shit, wait, I’ll do something, don’t panic. Hey, Chikara, d’you know who I should take this dork to? He poured hot oil over his foot because he can’t cook.”

“I didn’t pour it on purpose what the hell” came a whiney noise, in protest.

“Whatever, Ryuu, you’re in pain and I came here to find you a doctor who’s gonna fix you in no time flat.”

“That would be me.” Ennoshita finds himself saying. “I’m the reconstructive surgery consultant in the Cosmetology department. We take of that stuff. You’re on the right floor, too. The wheelchair you stole was from outside the operation complex for Cosmetology & Aesthetic Surgery.”

“Oh. OH. Great! Ok Ryuu, you’re gonna be just fine, see Chikara here will have you a-OK soon.” Right? Came a silent question. Ennoshita doesn’t know how to reply, so he says, “why don’t you sit down in that office and let me take a look?”

Nishinoya wheels his bald friend over into someone’s office (it reads: Head of Paediatric Surgery, Dr. Daichi Sawamura. Ennoshita suppresses a shudder and tells himself Sawamura-san won’t mind when he explains it. Hopefully.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in case you were wondering, Yamagata's favorite viroid is Citrus exocortis (because it's called scalybutt sometimes) :D
> 
> let me know how you liked this chapter, and once again, i'm sorry for the delay in the update!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a continuation of Tanaka's tragic burn and an insight into Ennoshita's (lovestruck) mind.

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture,**  
**Head of Paediatric Surgery, Dr. Daichi Sawamura’s Office.**  
**Floor 6.**  
**Tuesday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

“So, if you could get up on this bed here…” As soon as Ennoshita says that, he knows it's going to be too small for the bald dude. He looks so funny squished up, trying not to hurt his injured foot any more than he can help it, Ennoshita wants to laugh but refrains.

“So, did you fill the patient’s file?” He’s met with silence for the first time. 

Sighing he says, “alright then, why don’t you tell me what exactly happened? And what’s your name, I’m tired of calling you bald dude in my head.” It takes Ennoshita a second to realize what he’s said before he hears raucous laughter ft. a wince.

“I’m Tanaka Ryuunosuke and, I, uh, dropped some oil on my foot. While cooking. And it hurts. _Like a bitch_. And there’s nothing wrong with being bald, I think it looks rather dashing, don’t you think, Noya-san?”  
This is backed by enthusiastic nodding and a “hell yeah Ryuu you’re the hottest!”

Ennoshita can’t help smiling at these two dorks. “OK, fine, let me take a look then.”

“Oooooh, I don’t see you denying he’s hot, Chikara…..aaaand I’m late for my shift. Bye Chikara, take care of Ryuu, he’s a big baby. Bye Ryuu, I’ll call you when I’m done with my shift!” And with that, Nishinoya speeds off like a whirlwind of problematic time management. With that dramatic exit, Ennoshita can’t help but smile fondly after him.

A small strangled cry of pain reminds Ennoshita where he is, and once he’s had a look at Tanaka’s foot, he lets out a sigh of relief that he didn’t know he was holding in. It looked terrible and pretty painful, but with care and plenty of rest, it’d heal in no time. He says as much to Tanaka, who’s sitting there with his fists balled up in the sheets and teeth grit.

“Did you wash it? Or ice it, or something?”

“I held it under the tap for, like, ten minutes, until it felt bearable, and then my sister called Noya-san, who lives next door, who brought me here, cuz he said he had ‘n afternoon shift anyway. It happened because my sister asked me to get the vegetables out of the oven but I forgot to wear gloves and heat is a thing, so…” Words dwindling down to a mumble, Tanaka’s ears pinkened and he sits there narrating his pitiful tale under Ennoshita’s quiet gaze.

Ennoshita doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry and decides on keeping a neutral expression, getting up to see if a nurse could tell him if a dressing room was free.

As he wheels Tanaka out to to the dressing room, he listens to him talk about his sister, who owns an automobile repair shop, and loves cooking, and learns that Tanaka and Noya have been friends since high school where they played volleyball together.

“Oh, I played volleyball in high school too,” says Ennoshita, spraying the injury with alcohol based gel. He applies bacitracin and delicately wraps several layers of gauze around the burn. “My friend, Akaashi was the setter, and I was a wing spiker. Nothing flashy, though.”

“That’s cool! I was a wing spiker too! I was the ace of my team in my third year!” Tanaka is beaming with pride. Gosh, if he smiles like that, Ennoshita’s going to have to invest in sunglasses to even look in Tanaka’s direction.

“Hm? That sounds so cool! I was so intimidated by our regime, I ran away in our first year, but I felt so guilty about skipping I ended up returning.”

“That’s not surprising, you seem like a pretty responsible man,” Tanaka says softly.

“Oh? Hmm, maybe that’s why they made me captain in our third year.” Ennoshita’s having a hard time keeping an unbiased expression, so he rambles a little, “apparently I was the only one who could keep the younger hooligans from being complete disasters at away games, because Akaashi was too smitten by our upperclassman, Bokuto, to be of any help.” Having finished covering the cotton and gauze with medical tape, Ennoshita finally (reluctantly) steps away from Tanaka so he can get down and sit on the wheelchair. 

“I’m going to take you to my office, you can fill out the form there until someone can come pick you up, alright?” Having received no reply, Ennoshita quickly looks down at Tanaka who’s twiddling his thumbs and looking downcast.

“I wanted to say sorry. Y’know, for earlier? You had to come get us even though you were on your break. Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it, it’s a doctor’s job to have constant vigilance. Our coach used to say that for volleyball but I think it applies everywhere.”

“We should play together sometime. Noya-san plays, too.”

“Yeah, that sounds great. As long as you don’t pour oil on your foot again,” there’s a twinkle in his eye.

“If I do, I know who’s going to take care of me.” There’s a matching note of mischief in his eyes. Dear lord, please save Ennoshita before he melts into an actual puddle.

That’s the story of how Ennoshita spent the next half an hour in his office, catching up on his paperwork, and trying not to peek at the other man sitting on the armchair across from him, filling out the form for his file. Ennoshita knows looking and staring won’t achieve anything (he does it anyway. What he doesn’t know, is that Tanaka is doing the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so mad eye moody could've been Fukurodani's coach,,  
> and yes, this is Fukurodani!Ennoshita (never thought I'd ever say something like that :////// ). can you imagine Ennoshita enabling bokuaka i'm so,,


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another filler chapter bc im shameless and untalented at driving the plot forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is hella unedited because 1) i have exams haha 2) my beta reader also has exams how cool so please et me know about any changes thanks i hate writing dialogue because how do u interaction and grammar
> 
> this'll probably be the last chapter for about 2 weeks before yano the cutesy relationship stuff happens.
> 
> maybe lmao.
> 
> enjoy frenz

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.**  
**Head of Internal Medicine, Dr. Eita Semi’s Office.**  
**Thursday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

“Here. I’m finally done with the paperwork. Which you should have finished last week.” Says Shirabu as he practically shoves the sheaf of papers towards his attending at the desk.

“And I’m supposed to be sorry about that? Don’t forget that this is your job, too, Shirabu. Don’t be a brat.”

“Yeah, Shirabu-kun, don’t be a Shirababy.”

“Satori, shut up. Don’t you have clinic hours now?”

“Tendou-san, I think I saw Washijou-san while on my way here.”

“Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. OK guys, I gotta go, Kenjirou-kun, come visit me some time, Semisemi, don’t overwork yourself, bye!” and flees.

Shirabu quirks and eyebrow at Semi, and says, “Overworking? That’s not what I’d’ve thought, what with the paperwork that didn’t get done because of which we got yelled at by Washijou-san this morning.”

Shirabu is on the receiving end of a sulphurous look, before Semi sighs and his ever-present frown lines seem to deepen. 

“Don’t concern yourself with trivial matters. Did you eat breakfast after the night shift?” Semi questions.

“No, we were getting yelled at by Washijou-san, remember?”

Semi sighs. His protégé of sorts was insufferable. “You’re off duty this morning. Go get yourself something to eat, hang out with that cardiologist you like, or something. Just get out of my hair.”

Shirabu’s eyebrows have steadily kept rising and now can’t be seen through his fringe.

Not wanting to question any further (even though curiosity was eating away at him) Shirabu steps out. _Free time, huh?_ It’s not often members of his department get their mornings free. 

As the door shuts behind Shirabu, Semi sighs again, and pulls out a stack of papers from their hiding place in the drawer with the intention to finish them before his shift. He makes the mistake of opening up his email, and clicking open the newest one from Ukai-san, reading _“Semi, due to shortage in hospital personnel, the number of clinic hours you put in have been extended indefinitely. Apologies for short notice, and inconvenience caused, but all HODs have been alerted and for the next few days cooperation is requested. Thanks. PS, I spoke to Washijo-san, he says he’s OK with the late paperwork now because you’re probably going to start calling the on-call room your home for the next few days. Take care.  
Ukai Keishin.”_

Groaning muffled by this hands covering his face, Semi contemplates why he didn’t choose law over medicine. What with moody advisors, caffeinated nights, and saltshakers for residents, he really was going to need a good defendant just in case he snapped and killed someone.

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.**  
**Cafeteria.**  
**East Wing.**  
**Thursday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

“-and when I opened the door, you wouldn’t freaking believe who it was.” Shirabu is extremely unimpressed by Futakuchi’s exaggerated hand gesturing while telling his oh-so-unbelievable story, not after repeatedly dodging a flailing hand. Again. 

“We would but you already texted us, like, a gazillion times yesterday, telling us about your lovey-dovey reunion next week. Don’t you guys have a thing for your old high school then?” Yahaba asks.

“Aww, Shigeru-kun, you remember? I didn’t know you cared.”

“I don’t, it’s kind of hard to forget when you won’t shut up about it.”

“Alright, why don’t we talk about your hot anesthesiologist then? Didn’t you two meet up yesterday?” Futakuchi smirks.

“For coffee, yes, because there was an all night shift.” Says Yahaba, the tips of his ears reddening considerably. “It’s not like we hung out or anything, I just saw him at the vending machine and bought him some in return for before. He didn’t even say thank you, can you believe?”

“Yeah, I can. Words of gratitude are hard to find when you patronize them, Shigeru-kun.” Shirabu whispers under his breath. Under the table, Ennoshita’s foot connects with his shin. Shirabu glares balefully at his bowl of rice.

“Hey, Yahaba, doesn’t Oikawa-san have a coffee machine in his office? Why didn’t you use that instead?” Ennoshita asks, side eyeing Shirabu.

“He did, but Iwaizumi-san had it reinstalled to Semi-san’s office because Oikawa-san practically lived off of it.”

Shirabu perks up a little and asks, “Oh, is that where it came from? Tendou-san lives off of it too. It drives Semi-san up the wall.”

“Sounds like you and coffee have more in common than you thought.”

“At least I’m not bitter about meeting someone new.”

“Ah, but you are bitter.”

“Talking about meeting new people, Ennoshita, you didn’t tell us you met Noya-san.” Futakuchi tactfully interrupts (who knew that boy knew what the word meant?)

Ennoshita blanched. “Who told you?”

Futakuchi laughs. “Noya-san is a lab tech, we hang out sometimes.”

“By ‘hang out’ do you mean ‘nod at him while he says things to you’?”

“Shut up. So I heard you told him off for running around with a wheelchair patient in the hallway?”

“Oh yeah, I heard that from Misaki-san.” Yahaba interjects. Shirabu is still BREWding.

“Yeah, I did. They nearly ran me over, too. Good thing Tanaka was looking for me anyway, so no one else got into trouble.”

“No one else but you, you mean. Why’d you take the blame for that again?” Shirabu finally speaks up.

“He was probably too lovestruck to explain what actually happened. Can you believe he sat him down in Sawamura-san’s office?”

“H-hey guys, I explained it to Sawamura-san and he was fine with it.” Ennoshita’s stoic mask is slipping. Fast. “Or maybe it was because he knew Tanaka from his school days, and kind of figured it out before I’d explained.”

“What about you, Kenjirou-kun? Don’t you have anything interesting to say?” Yahaba asks. “Heard you got chewed out by Washijou-san.”

“Where’d you hear that?” Yahaba just shrugs. “Oikawa-san was eavesdropping, wasn’t he?” Yahaba shrugs again, not denying it. “Yeah, we didn’t finish the paperwork on time, and you know how Washjou-san gets.” He receives nods of sympathy. 

“Alright, I need to leave now. Have any of you noticed the HODs are busier than normal these days?” Yahaba asks as he gets up to leave. “Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san have either been on duty or holed up in their offices, doing paperwork. I haven’t seen them since the whole Watari incident.”

“Yeah, Suga-san and Daichi-san haven’t left the hospital since yesterday, too. How is Watari-kun now?” Ennoshita adds.

“He’s doing OK, I visit him when I can. But any news about the HODs’ situation?”

“I haven’t seen Moniwa-san in a while too, we usually catch the same train home.” Futakuchi pipes up.

“Hmm, I heard something like that about Semi-san, but I’m not so sure. I have to go, too, clinic hours and all that.”

They all deposit their trays and part to go their different ways, Futakuchi and Yahaba upstairs to floor 1 to their respective labs, Ennoshita, the other side of the hospital to the Centre for Bone and Joint, and Shirabu himself to the General Clinic.

 _Overworking and extended hours, huh?_ Shirabu feels worry creeping into the crevices of his cranium, a dull buzz, as he makes his way to the stairs.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello i return once again with more social awkwardness no what do u mean im not projecting haha what are u saying lol
> 
> note that this takes place right after chapter 6 (because i thought of the plot after uploading chapter 6 because I am In Complete Control Of This Plot)

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.**  
**Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Centre.**  
**Floor 5.**  
**Thursday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

Yahaba makes his way to Watari’s room with an armful of lilies.

He hasn’t been able to shake off the guilt that swims in his stomach every time he looks at his friend. Which is probably why he hasn’t visited him as often as he should. As he’d like to. This makes guilt shoot up to his throat, burning hot and unrelenting.

Watari has been his closest friend since elementary school, he doesn’t want anything to come between them. He sighs before knocking and opening the door a little to see if Watari was asleep. He doesn’t know what to talk about anymore. The handful of conversations they’ve had since The Surgery have been chock full of small talk and they’ve been playing “who can ignore the elephant in the room the longest”. At least Yahaba knows _he_ has.

Watari is awake, and reading a book about…murders? Watari had mentioned it to him before but Yahaba has been too high strung to listen, having made an excuse about having paperwork to tend to (like last time. And the time before that).

“Are you sure you should be reading stuff like that?” crap.

Watari looked up. “Are you questioning my courage.”

“Of course not. But you did have a heart surgery. Did your mom bring these flowers?” A vase full of carnations sits at the table beside Watari’s bed. Watari looks flatly at his friend’s feeble attempt at conversation.

“Nope. Your friend came in and dropped them off. Said you were busy because there’s shortage in administration.”

“Wait, did this friend leave a name?”

“Uh, I think it was Kyoutani-san He wasn't a nurse, though?”

“Oh. OH NO. Watari nooo” Yahaba’s head is between his hands. He doesn’t know whether to be angry, guilty, embarrassed, or some twisted combination of the three.

Eyes twinkling Watari says, “Soooooo. I’m guessing he’s more than ‘just a friend’?”

“Fuck off” comes a muffled reply.

Kyoutani, it seems, has done Yahaba another favor. He really needs to wipe his ledger clean. Hopefully, another shitty vending machine coffee is an appropriate form of repayment. Maybe Semi-san’s stupid coffee machine will offer better service. And maybe a date.

“Ooooh, tell me more!”

Yahaba needs to control his brain to mouth filter.

“So, when you were dramatically dying”--“hey, I put my heart in it, don’t diss.”--“this hot anesthesiologist…”

the narration goes well, or as well as it can with Yahaba stuttering and blushing, and Watari grinning like a child in a candy store.

 

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.**  
**Bathroom, Floor 5.**  
**Thursday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

Azumane Asahi is many things. He’s really tall, for one. He’s also really nice. Like, really really nice. He’s also one of the hospital’s two neonatologists. Which is pretty cool.

If you were to take a glance at him, you’d say, _hey why is that tall, scary dude holding the baby no wonder it’s crying??_

You’d be wrong, though. Babies love Asahi. No, scratch that, all kids love Asahi. He might look scary, but his heart is made of fragile glass, his friends liked to joke.

The cool thing is, Asahi also likes kids. Having grown up with Daichi and Suga, who now work in the pediatric wing in this very hospital, he shared their inclination towards the treatment of kids, kids who deserve to live a happy, healthy life, like he did. His childhood is, perhaps, his favorite part of his life, having made friends despite his shy personality, and terrifying stature (not his words, he promises).

What makes him happier is when he sees parents gushing about _their little angel and how they were the best thing that’s happened to them, so Dr. Azumane can’t you do something, please?_ And Asahi will say, yes, yes of course and he’ll get to see a happy family reminding him he has to call his mother.

But today, Asahi feels really out of it. He can’t take a day off, he’s pretty much always in the hospital, being the only one qualified to address Serious Baby Issues. He figures he should go eat lunch, he’ll tend to the paperwork _later._

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.**  
**Cafeteria, Floor 1.**  
**Thursday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

Asahi makes his way into the cafeteria (hoping he doesn’t bump into Daichi, he knows Daichi knows there’s something up, and he doesn’t really want to talk about it). He sees Kiyoko (who looks tired) next to Hanamaki (who looks tired) talking to Hana (who looks annoyed). He’s about to go join them, seeing as he doesn’t really have that many acquaintances he can call friends, he feels a hand dig into his shoulder. He shudders, knowing that only one person would do this.

Suga. Dr. Sugawara Koushi, of Paediatric Surgery. A 5'8" (and then some) human incarnation of radiant smiles and devious ideas, all wrapped in an angel's visage. How nobody noticed the devil's horns poking up from his head, Asahi can never know.

“Asahi, how’re you doing, won’t you come sit with me?” Suga’s tone is light but Asahi knows he knows something’s up. _Daichi must’ve said something what the hell Daichi why I thought we were friends I can’t lie to Suga you know that what about the time I shared my ice cream with you when you dropped yours are we forgetting favors now._

“So. Asahi. My friend. My pal. Anything you have to tell me?” _cutting straight to the chase, are we._

“Uh.”

_Eloquent, Asahi, well done._

“You can’t lie to me, buddy.”

“I knowwww but I don’t wanna talk about it.” Asahi has his head in his hands again, too embarrassed to continue.

Eyes twinkling, Suga says, “is this about a _short_ certain someone?”

Asahi’s head shoots up to meet Suga’s gaze. “wh-what haha no what are you saying”, he tries to brush off weakly.

“Asahi.” Suga is serious now, he’s using that no-nonsense tone he uses with especially difficult patients. It always works on Asahi. It’s not that impressive when you remember that Suga’s patients are usually 2-to-12-year-olds.

“If I tell you, do you promise not to talk about it ever again?”

“Has me promising you ever stopped me before?”

“Ugh fine. So you remember how Noya and I kind of have the same patient? So we were talking about how she was coming along fine because her blood and tissue samples didn’t show any irregularities and Yui, she’s the baby’s official neonatologist, you know, and she just said, “you two sound just like the baby’s fathers.” I know she was kidding and stuff, but Noya--stop laughing!-- Noya got really quiet which kind of scared me, and said, “actually, I wanted to say something along those lines, Asahi-san, I like you very much, and have for a long time. I know you might not feel the same way, but I wanted to get it off my chest.” and…”

“And…?”

“…”

“Asahi, don’t tell me you ran away.”

“...”

“Azumane Asahi, are you telling me you ran away from a confession from a man you’ve liked for lord knows how long.”

“Maybe.”

“When was this?”

“Uh, a couple of days ago?”

“What.”

“I-I mean..i didn’t know what to say..”

“Asahi, you like this guy. He likes you back why did you run, you idiot, he must’ve been completely devastated, do you know how much courage it requires to confess? Not to mention I’ve been listening to you pine after him for so long, do it for me, you asshole.”

“Yes, I’m aware. I was around when you and Daichi got together-OW! What was that for.”

Ignoring Asahi’s yelp of pain, Suga continues, “I saw him yesterday, he seemed alright, but can you imagine the amount of effort he must’ve put in to act normally? Seriously, Asahi, I didn’t expect you to _run_.”

Suga’s words stung, because Asahi, in his heart, knew then to be true. Truthfully, he didn’t expect himself to run either, it’s just, well, he gets really anxious. It didn’t help that Suga was using his mom voice which completely vetoes any command but the one given.

But he also knows that deep in his heart he actually cares about Nishinoya very much. He just doesn’t know to confront him. Not after his little stunt.

“I think you should just go talk to him. Worst case scenario? Things get awkward. They’ll blow over, though, you know Noya. Best case scenario, on the other hand…you end up married to the man of your dreams. Maybe have kids. The whole shebang.”

“S-Suga!” Asahi’s pretty sure he’s red as a traffic light but his mind says ‘go go right away’ to Noya and apologize and lay down his true feelings before him. He sighs knowing Suga is right (as usual, don’t tell him though) and gets up to drop off his plate. 

“Wish me luck. Where do you think he is?”

“Luck? You brought this on yourself, you big oaf. I don’t think you have anything to worry about though. He’s probably in the Lab. Talk to him during your next break, alright?”

Rolling his eyes, Asahi says, “yes mom.”

“What did you say?!”

“I said om nom! The food was great!”

“Get out, and apologise!”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so...it's been a while...
> 
> t/w there is a death in this chapter
> 
> its not a major character but nonetheless one very dear to my heart
> 
> u have been warned

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.**  
**Head of Internal Medicine, Dr. Eita Semi’s office.**  
**Monday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

Oikawa is tired. He’s not the only one, he knows all the Heads of Departments, as well as the senior doctors, are busy, tired, cranky, and a twistedly dangerous permutation of the three. He supposes until the new doctors are hired or transferred next week, he won't be able to catch up on his favorite TV show. _Or cuddle with Iwa-chan_ he thinks, ruefully.

Reiterating he exhaustion out loud to the world, he thinks he might as well go and nap in Iwa-chan’s office. _Hey, if he can’t have the real thing…_

He stops mid-step. He doesn’t know if his wearied state is playing tricks on his ears on not, but he can almost swear on hearing strange noises from the end of the hallway.

“Maybe it’s aliens,” Tooru whispers to himself. Quickly approaching the nearest storage cupboard, he pulls out the closest thing that could be used as a short(ish) range weapon. The broken leg of a stool (the plastic kind, not the faecal, stinky kind). _What the fuck_ thinks Oikawa _why do we have this?_

He makes his way to the end of the hallway.

_Oh shit, if I die, I forgot to tell Iwa-chan to do the laundry this week. And I hope he doesn’t put me in the mortuary. I hate it there. But the again, I probably wouldn’t be alive then._

“Stupid” – _thud_ \- “machine” – _thud_ \- “give me" - _thud_ \- "my damn coffee!” each phrase was accentuated with a weird metallic smack.

Worse still, it was coming from Semi’s office.

Now, Semi Eita was a good man, a conscientious doctor, a responsible colleague, prone to overworking. But he was _strange_. He had weird gray hair with dark tips, he had a resting bitch face, and he hated his resident. The complete opposite of one Oikawa Tooru. OK, so maybe Tobio and he did have their differences regarding the brain and the heart (he would never forget the day Tobio transferred out of Cardiology to switch over to Neuro because “It’s way cooler, Oikawa-san.” Brat). Regardless, Oikawa felt like he understood the man, more like Iwaizumi than himself, once he had a conversation with Semi’s bratty resident and his equally bratty colleague, Tendou. 

Oikawa can now hear hushed curses. Dropping the thing he gratuitously calls a _weapon_ , he readies himself.

Opening the door he screams, “Semi-chan is everything OK?!” When he sees Semi beating up his old coffee maker with a mug. Semi doesn’t seem to have heard him, continuing the onslaught of abuse and insults on the poor machine, his dark circles prominent on his pale face.

Oikawa quickly moves to Semi’s side, catching ahold of his wrist in mid-blow. Semi is surprisingly compliant. “Hey, Hey, Semi-chan, it’s OK, the coffeemaker isn’t your mortal enemy, it’s bacteria. It’s OK, how about you go sit down on the couch for a few seconds, I’ll get you our coffee, alright?”

“Oikawa.”

Oikawa nods, confusion turning to slight panic when, instead of moving to his chair, Semi sides down to the floor. 

“It’s broken. There’s no coffee”, he says.

“Hey, that’s alright, no need to panic.” _Wow, hypocrite @ me_ Oikawa thinks to himself as he crouches next to Semi, offering honeyed words and a comforting hand on his back.

Suddenly, “I have clinic hours now, I have to go...” even so, Semi makes no effort to get up. His face looks gaunt. 

Worried now, Oikawa asks, “Semi-chan, did you go home even once this past week?”

“No, idiot, we don’t have any extra hands on deck in the department, three of our physicians fell ill. Right when we needed them, too. They’ll be back today, maybe tomorrow—“ his words are cut off by a ginormous yawn.

“I have to do paperwork, too, there’s so much left.” Semi suddenly looks incredibly alert. Trying to get up, the mug from earlier falls from his hands and shatters, the little faces of the anime characters now facing the underside of various shelves and chairs.

Before Semi can say anything (or panic), Oikawa says, “OK alright, Semi-chan, why don’t you resume your clinic duties, I’ll clean this up, I’m on my break anyway. I’ll have your resident bring you some coffee, a change of clothes, and he can do your paperwork for you—“

“No. Don’t bother him, he’s had an overnight shift, he’s off duty for now. Thank you for your help, but I’m sure you’re tired, too, I’ll just…” he motions towards the door.

“Why not? It’s his job, Semi-chan! You’re completely exhausted!”

“I’m the head of this department, Oikawa, if anyone can tell a patient suffering from hyperkalemia from one suffering hypernatremia, it’s me, and those people need me out there.” Semi snorts and pauses, his eyes wandering over from Oikawa’s face to focus on the shards of the Fullmetal Alchemist mug. His expression shifts. Turning to leave he says, “if you do clean up, please don’t throw away the broken pieces, I-I’ll glue them back together somehow.”

“Or you could buy a new one.”

“It was a novelty piece.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“I am, too. Sorry to trouble you.”

“It’s no trouble, Semi-chan. Are you sure you’re good to go?”

“Yes…and thank you.”

“No problem.”

As he watches Semi leave, Oikawa thinks Semi Eita was a good man, a conscientious doctor, a responsible colleague, if a little prone to overworking. But he was _strange_. He had weird gray hair with dark tips, he had a resting bitch face, and he hated his resident.

But he was also kind and thoughtful and passionate in his own peculiar way, whether it was burdening himself so Shirabu could nap peacefully, or gluing together his best friend’s favorite mug.

In the midst of his musings, he hears a loud thump. _It hasn’t even been a full minute what can it be now, I swear if it’s aliens I’ll eat my coat._

Outside, the hallway is bright and empty, save for Semi Eita’s slumped-over body. It takes all of Oikawa’s self-control to not scream. Quickly, he searches for Semi’s pager and hits the button. Next, he flips Semi the right way round, grunting as he picks him up. He knows it’s probably the wrong way to carry him, but it’s more efficient. The faster he gets Semi inside, the better. after a few shakes and pinches and screams, Semi manages to regain consciousness. Oikawa makes him drink a glass of water and he promptly goes to sleep. He must've been really tired, rethinking his past interactions with the man, trying to look for certain symptoms of this breakdown.

As he’s finished laying a blanket he's found on Semi, propping his legs up for correct blood flow to the brain, the door is opened. 

“What do you want _now_ -” Shirabu’s eyes blow wide open as he takes in the scene before him, the slivers of colorful ceramic, the pallid unmoving body on the couch, Oikawa himself.

“What happened?” the question is uttered quietly, as if almost afraid of an answer.

“He collapsed. He’s been overworking, is my guess.” Oikawa watches as Shirabu makes his way to Semi. He pretends to check the length of his nails, ignoring Shirabu as he kneels down and hesitantly takes one of Semi’s hands into his own.

“Will he be alright?” the question, again, was so quiet, Oikawa would’ve missed it, had it not been for the fact that, well, it was deathly silent anyway.

“Well, your guess is as good as mine. I think he needs some rest, but we should get him checked anyway, just in case.”

“I’ll do it.” Abruptly came a response.

Maybe his bratty resident wasn’t as bad as Semi made him out to be. They were both just really _really_ dense.

“There’s clinic duty. Semi-chan was incredibly stressed about that. Why don’t you take over for him, and come back when you’re on break? I’ll be here till then.”

Shirabu only nods and gets up.

Before leaving he says, “ _please_ take care of him”, and flees.

Oikawa would’ve been amused had it not been for his unconscious colleague but hey, Semi’s going to have to answer a lot of questions when he wakes up.

He sighs as he carefully begins picking up the ceramic fragments up from the floor. _So much for napping in Iwa-chan’s office._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rip tendou's mug u will always live on in our hearts
> 
> Semi,,,ur such,,,a,,smOL UGH why did u have to be such an idiot
> 
> what will shirabu do n0W DUN DUN DUUUUUN
> 
> friends pls check on ur loved ones make sure theyre doing alright ok thnx
> 
> kudos to [these](https://www.healthgrades.com/conditions/nervous-breakdown) [two](http://www.webmd.com/first-aid/fainting-treatment) websites
> 
> i'll try uploading sooner haha i get the feeling this fic will never end ugh i hope u enjoyed reading so far and stay tuned for moar ;))
> 
> let me know what you liked in this chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a respite from the hard work at the hospital.
> 
> and a calm before the storm.

**Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.**  
**Jogi Tofuten, Table 2.**  
**Monday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

“I’m so glad it’s over”, says Futakuchi.

“Honestly, it’s been a nightmare. I’d never seen so many patients before this. I’m starting to have nightmares about crying kids.” Nametsu is still finishing the last of her _zaru udon._

“Shouldn’t they be the ones crying over nightmares about your health shakes?” Hey, it’s not like Futakuchi can resist a jab at Nametsu’s expense. 

Nametsu’s been expecting one so she jabs right back, without looking up from her bowl, “Aone-kun really liked my shakes, right?”

Aone, here on a wheelchair, can only nod. He knows better than to get on Nametsu’s bad side. Anything is better than that, even _nori_ -spinach health shakes with matcha powder to disguise the taste. He honestly believes Nametsu has no taste buds.

“Did you really, Aone?” Futakuchi asks. He’s being sincere, not taking the usual teasing tone he has. His face is flushed pale pink. It could’ve been the dim lighting, of course, but Aone would love to believe otherwise.

Nodding once again (because Nametsu is sitting right there and he doesn’t want to ever taste another gross banana-spirulina-tomato shake ever again), a gasp goes around the table. 

Kamasaki, who _isn’t_ holding Moniwa’s hand under the table, _nuh-uh_ , says, “Oi, everyone, stop bullying him. He’s only just been allowed out of the house and this is how you treat the reunion?”

“No, sir!” Comes a response from everyone, well, except Nametsu who’s still not done with her noodles. And Koganegawa, who’s also stuffing himself with leftover _kenpi_ , but if his enthusiastic nodding and subsequent choking are anything to go by, he’s quite glad to have Aone here, too. It makes him crack a small smile. He’s missed them all so much.

“I’m going to step outside for a bit.” Futakuchi gets up and leaves without a backward glance. He suddenly has too much on his mind. Aone would be lying if he wasn’t even a little disappointed to see him go.

“Hate to see you go, love to watch you leave” whispers Nametsu. It colors Aone an embarrassing shade of pink, but it could’ve just been the dim lighting.

“Alright, is everyone done? Nametsu, I know you’re full, you don’t have to finish the broth if you don’t want to!”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen actual food, don’t grudge me joy, mom!”

“I’m not your mom!”

Aone has never felt so frustrated about his body. His injury limits all movement, and he has to depend on Moniwa to get him places because he’s not used to the stupid wheeled contraption yet. And it’s not like Moniwa (or Kamasaki by extension) would let him out of his sight anyway. He really wants to go check on Futakuchi, who has an absurd habit of getting lost in his own thoughts. It’s taken them on wild rides before, from their place in the last row of their class.

(It’s also taken their grades on an exciting rollercoaster of highs and lows. He supposes he should be thankful that Futakuchi is a math genius and he himself isn’t half bad at physics. It’s saved them from flunking off their volleyball team way too many times.)

Moniwa finally manages to convince Nametsu to stop (he likely let her take the _okonomiyaki_ home, Aone wasn’t judging, he liked kids, too, but he didn’t know how Mai did it every freaking day). As they leave, they catch up with Futakuchi and Moniwa asks him to wheel Aone for a while, apologizing by saying he was a little tired. Futakuchi only nodded and did as he was told, the two moving slightly slower and away from the rest of the Datekou VBC reunion gang.

“Are you thinking about your speech?” Aone knows Futakuchi slipped up once during his speech and was probably beating himself about that.

“Not really.” Futakuchi doesn’t volunteer any other information. Aone is OK with that, these silences are something they’ve lived in since they were teenagers.

The silence yawns between them, never turning awkward, but not exactly open-armed, welcoming. Aone wonders if he should say something before Moniwa interrupts, “hey Futakuchi, did you hear about Semi-san? He collapsed in his office today.”

“Yeah, I did. Yahaba told me Oikawa-san was there when it happened. He said that Semi-san had been cutting Shirabu some slack because of the night shifts and stuff.” Futakuchi has been thinking about this for a while now, he wonders how Shirabu’s doing.

“I’m glad he’s being taken care of now, do you think we should go visit him?”

“Kaname, I don’t think he’s going to appreciate you guys ganging up on him, I think he’s going to want some space and privacy.” Kamasaki coaxes, and for once is seeing sense, and Moniwa just nods, agreeing with him.

Once again, they all lapse into companionable silence. “You’re worried about your friend, aren’t you?” Aone knows the answer, he just wants Futakuchi to acknowledge it too. 

“…Yeah, I am. He’s such a little shit, I hope he learns not to take Semi-san for granted now. He always picks unnecessary fights and, oh, I don’t even now. Doesn’t it get exhausting?” Futakuchi says after a while like he’s talking to himself.

“Maybe that’s how their dynamic works. Like even when they’re fighting, Kamasaki-san yells and Moniwa-san cowers and stutters when he yells back, but yeah I get it they can’t change who they are, but I wish he wouldn’t be so blind about how much Semi-san adores him. He keeps going on and on about how much he doesn’t like Semi-san and how he keeps babying him, or whatever, but he’s also head over heels for him and, ugh, I don’t even know, anymore. You probably think this is really childish of us, right? Grown up doctors behaving like kids?” Futakuchi finishes with a laugh, the bitterness not hidden well enough.

Aone reaches for his hand, and says, “maybe this is an opportunity for them. Maybe they’ll realize what they were doing wrong. Miscommunication, and even worse, turning away from those you love most is the childish way of escaping problems and in a way pushes them away until the chasm between them can’t be traversed anymore.”

Futakuchi has stopped. Slowly, he says, “turning away is childish, yes, then Aone, I’ll have you know an infant has been wheeling you around.”

“I know.”

“How long? Have you known, I mean?”

“Always.”

“And?”

“You didn’t have to all of what you did. You’d do better if you took your own advice.”

And Futakuchi laughs all they way to the train station.

And Aone _isn't_ smiling at that, not even a little bit, _nuh-uh_.

 

**Tanaka Residence, Kawahara Complex.**  
**Apartment 44.**  
**Monday.**  
**20xx/xx/xx.**

[hot bald dude]: hey so this isnt injury related 

[hot bald dude]: but u knw wat happnd w noya san ryt 

[✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*(◠‿◠✿)*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧]: yeah he cried in my office 

[hot bald dude]: shit im sorry 

[✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*(◠‿◠✿)*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧]: I feel worse for him though 

[hot bald dude]: I was thnking mayb if u cud come ovr we could cheer noya san up??? Ive never seen him so down b4 its honestly p scary 

[✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*(◠‿◠✿)*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧]: alr what do u wanna do? 

[hot bald dude]: drinking party. noya san could use that. My sisters out on business too 

[✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*(◠‿◠✿)*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧]: he wont mind me coming? 

[hot bald dude]: I think he’d want u there 

[hot bald dude]: I meant it when I said u looked like u were a reliable guy 

[✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*(◠‿◠✿)*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧]: flattery will get you nowhere 

[✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*(◠‿◠✿)*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧]: I’ll see you this weekend after work then? 

[hot bald dude]: sure c u!!!! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK OK food notes:  
>  _zaru udon_ : a kind of udon (noodles) that's served cold, usually vegetarian, eaten with wasabi/ginger and has a broth that's made of shoyu, mirin, and dashi  
>  _kenpi_ : sweet potato fries!! or candied sweet potato  
>  _nori_ : dried edible seaweed sheets used in everything lmao like _sushi_ and _onigiri_ and stuff  
>  _okonomiyaki_ : this savoury pancake thing that some restaurants make out of leftovers and it's Really Good
> 
> also note that jogi tofuten is an actual restaurant in Sendai, Miyagi ([x](https://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant_Review-g298249-d1669513-Reviews-Jogi_Tofuten-Sendai_Miyagi_Prefecture_Tohoku.html))
> 
> also, headcanon that most members of Datekou are vegetarian (yes, it sounds weird bc japan but let me live vegetarians r a thing) and all the foods are vegetarian!!!!!!!!!!! so cool ryt
> 
> Nametsu is ridiculous but those shakes exist. a friend of mine did make the banana-tomato shake (we didnt have spirulina but we used the blue-green algae food coloring powder thing. it was expectedly terrible.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ah, yes. the bit where the angst comes in. 
> 
> (Also, in case you don't remember who Rintarou is, he's Yahaba's doppelganger from Johzenji ([x](http://haikyuu.wikia.com/wiki/Rintar%C5%8D_Numajiri))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **alright, so TW: there's an actual Major Character Injury in this chapter** (not clickbait lmao i promise). if you get queasy reading about accidents and blood and stuff like that-
> 
> skip the log that starts with "Somewhere in Torono, Miyagi Prefecture" and continue from the log after that. it kind of summarizes what happens in the log before that.
> 
> alright thanks y'all i have to change the rating for this entire story now cool cool 
> 
> lmk if there's something you want tagged in the fic???
> 
> please enjoy and i'll summarize the chapter in the notes at the end.

**Torono, Miyagi Prefecture.**   
**Hinata-Kageyama Residence.**   
**Tuesday.**   
**20xx/xx/xx.**

Kagayama is still sleeping when Hinata gets called to work. It’s not an unusual event, considering accidents don’t usually make appointments with the doctors concerned, they just make themselves known whenever they want. Kind of rude, Hinata had grumbled sleepily when he’d received the phone call that had lurched him out of bed at nearly 4 in the afternoon on their joint day off.

Kageyama is briefly woken up when Hinata kisses his forehead in lieu of goodbye before he grabs his keys and disappears out the door like an orange tachyon. Time is of the essence, Hinata always says with a grin before he _goddamn rushes and makes a mess of the kitchen, get out dumbass._

Having nothing else to do but enjoy the feeling of freedom from the last few days of work (seriously, how did the neurology department suddenly lack?), Kageyama promptly falls back asleep, only to be awoken by another phone call, he’s going to throw his cell phone out the window—“hello?”

“ _Is this Kageyama Tobio?_ ”

“Yes? Hana-san?”

“ _Yes, Kageyama, could you hurry over to the A &E immediately?_”

“I—OK, what happened?”

“ _Just get over here, it’s Hinata._ ” Click.

_What did the dumbass do now_ , thinks Kageyama as he crawls out of bed and paws around for a shirt and jeans. _If he’s in trouble I’m going to kick his ass_. Grimacing as he realizes Hinata has taken the car keys, he huffs and makes his way to the bus stop. Route 27 takes them directly to the hospital, great isn’t it? It wasn’t foresight, just good fortune that the bus stop happened to be 5 minutes away from their apartment.

The bus ride is so quiet and uneventful, Kageyama falls asleep again.

**Somewhere in Torono, Miyagi Prefecture.**   
**Tuesday.**   
**20xx/xx/xx.**

“Sakunami, get the stretcher, please!” calls Rintarou, as he holds up the man’s head, heart sinking as he hears the wheezing get worse. _Where’s Shouyou when you need him, this isn’t a two man job_. Sakunami is by his side in a moment as he whispers, “what is it?” as he helps Rintarou carry the man to the stretcher.

“I’m pretty sure it’s asthma, but the sound of air passing through fluid-filled alveoli could be from pulmonary edema, and would be worse if misdiagnosed and treated as an asthma attack. He was able to talk until a few minutes ago, though, and said this is the worst attack yet.” Rintarou is afraid. the street outside is deathly silent.

“I’m here!” Hinata calls from next to the ambulance and is over immediately to help out. Taking charge as soon as he gauges the situation, he sets up the apparatus.

The waveform capnography isn’t doing a good job instilling optimism into the paramedics as they looked at the telltale triangle which appears when the patient cannot exhale completely before taking in their next breath. 

“Alright, nebulized albuterol, connected to oxygen at 6-8 LPM, it should cause rapid bronchodilation.” Even as he speaks, Rintarou isn’t all that hopeful, seeing no improvement in the man’s breathing. 

“Epipen?” Sakunami questioned as he gets one out. The word seems to make the man extremely nervous and begins to struggle. Aggressively. It takes both Rintarou and Hinata to pin him down as Sakunami injects the epinephrine along with a sedative, allowing him to put on the oxygen mask. Rintarou and Hinata let go of the man at the same time. Rintarou and Sakunami are in the process of pulling the stretcher up in an angled position into the ambulance when a flailing hand catches Hinata in the face. 

“Ow!” he cries, holding a bloody nose and walking backward to overcome the pain and regain his balance.

He does not realize he’s on the road.

He does not see the car approaching.

Sakunami is sitting inside with the patient while Rintarou almost runs to the driver’s seat. They don’t see the car on the road.

Only after a loud cry, a thud, and the screech of car tires, do they look outside to see their colleague lay on the road in a pool of his own blood.

Rintarou has never seen such horror in his life. Sakunami does something he’s never done on the job before. He _freezes_.

_Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture._  
 _Accidents and Emergencies Wing._  
 _Tuesday._ >  
 _20xx/xx/xx._

Kageyama usually doesn’t have any reason to step into the A&E of the hospital. That’s Hinata’s turf, and therefore, Kageyama finds himself at a loss as he looks around at people moving, constantly at motion, the chaos making Kageyama wonder how anyone could understand anyone else. It is a stark converse to the neurology department, the atmosphere saturated with quiet wisdom and knowledge in unearthing the enigmas of the mind. No wonder Hinata fits in here so well, loud cheerful demeanor and all.

He looks around for a shock of orange in the sea of white coats, short though he is, Hinata’s hair is a good way of locating him in crowds. No luck. Kageyama sighs and tries asking the closest nurse where he could find the said paramedic. All he gathers from their brief conversation is that there’s been an accident. _Wow, thanks, an accident? Here, in the A &E? who would’ve thought? _A passing intrusive thought strikes him but he quickly dismisses it. Even _Hinata_ wouldn’t be that clumsy on the job.

It then strikes Kageyama to call Hana-san to question the whereabouts of his spouse. Before he can dial her number, a hand clasps at his shoulder. He turns around...and comes face to face with Daichi.

“Kageyama, what are you doing here?” he sounds extremely…serious?

“Hana-san called me for—“

“No, I mean what are you doing here?! You should be in the waiting room!” No, _worried_ was the word.

“Waiting—“ Kageyama’s blood runs cold at a thought. “Is—Is Shouyou OK?” His voice trembles as he follows Daichi.

“He’s been in an accident.” 

Kageyama would’ve passed out right there had Daichi not steered him over to one of the narrower hallways. Facing him, Kageyama asks again, “Is he OK? What happened? He had work and..”

“I don’t know, Kageyama. All Moniwa said was that there’s been a ton of blood loss and he was unconscious. He’s been hit by a car.”

_Man, Daichi-san sure can be tactful_. “I—can I see him?” 

“Not yet, he’s still being looked over by the doctors. I—we’ll wait in the waiting center, Moniwa said he’ll come call us when they’re done.”

As they go sit, Daichi with a furrowed brow and a worried look, and Kageyama will pale face, terror clinging to every pore, a short man with an ashen face, and a bloodstained shirt comes up to them. 

“Are you Kageyama Tobio, here for Shouyou?” he asks.

Kageyama nods, dumbly.

“I’m Sakunami Kousuke, I was part of Hinata’s EMS unit called in the afternoon today. I’m here to tell you what happened. I—I’m sorry I—“  
Sakunami takes a shuddering breath and begins.

Kageyama’s face gets steadily paler through Sakunami’s narrative. At one point, he tunes out does something he hasn’t done since before he moved in with Hinata. 

He prays.

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.**   
**A &E and the associated waiting room.**   
**Tuesday.**   
**20xx/xx/xx.**

Rintarou has never felt so petrified in his life. He’s saved innumerable lives with his presence of mind and being quick on his feet. But today, today was…

Different. 

And not in a _today-was-my-day-off-i-need-sleep _way but in more of an _i-saw-my-friend-almost-fucking-die-and-i-couldn’t-move_ way.__

__It had been a member of his own unit._ _

__He cannot believe his action, or lack thereof, that he just stood there, transfixed at the now red hue of the roadside._ _

__He cannot believe he didn’t immediate move to check Hinata’s pulse, to flip him the right way round to hear his slight breathing, to do something, something—_ _

__He is, and always will be grateful to the group in the car that passed almost immediately after the accident, as they examined Hinata’s (Rintarou’s throat catches) unmoving body. They quickly figured it out and offered to help. Rintarou rode in Saeko-san's car with the now-relaxed man, and Sakunami had driven the van (dangerously fast) to the hospital._ _

__Their offer had sprung Sakunami (bless him, he was more level-headed than any of them) into action, having dialed the A &E and let them know to prepare back-up._ _

__He cannot believe he is in shock. By all laws of nature, he should be fine with accidents. This isn’t the first time he’s seen copious amounts of blood, it’s his job to not be afraid. Even when Sakunami assures him that he froze up too, Rintarou feels the guilt claw at the walls of his stomach, making itself feel at home within his body. _What if_ , Rintarou can't help but wonder, _what if Saeko-san and Akiteru-san hadn’t been there to help us? Aren’t we the ones helping others? What if Shouyo—_ “ Alright, stop your train of thought right there, kid, I can tell what you’re thinking. It isn’t going to do you nor your friend any good if you keep beating yourself up about it. It’s a dangerous job, I get that, it’s not surprising that something like this happened.” Saeko’s scrutinizing gaze is enough to stop Rintarou from overthinking (for now. He’s still horrified)._ _

__“Hey, leave the kid alone, he just saw his friend—er, I mean…” Akiteru has his hands up in surrender. “I mean, it's OK to mourn a little if that’s what you were doing, but blaming yourself isn’t going to help.”_ _

__Rintarou marvels at how nice these strangers are and learns that Tsukishima Akiteru is Dr. Tsukishima’s older brother and owns the veterinary clinic not ten minutes away and that Saeko is a policewoman and is determined to catch whoever fucked with his friend. He is eternally _eternally_ grateful for kind strangers and their sense of justice._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the chapter begins with Hinata getting called to work on his day off which isn't unusual for members of the EMS (Emergency Medical Services). Kageyama's at home too and is woken up by a phone call from Misaki Hana who tells him to hurry to the hospital.
> 
> In the next log, Rintarou, the head of the EMS unit is worried over a man's respiratory problems because it doesn't seem to be getting better. His partner, Sakunami, tries to help out as much as he can until Hinata reaches to help them out. As soon as he does, the situation seems to be getting better. Sakunami suggests the use of an EpiPen and the man struggles, catching Hinata's face in the process. He comes in the path of a moving vehicle and is the victim of an accident. Rintarou and Sakunami are unable to help until a couple passing by, offer to help them out.
> 
> Meanwhile, Kageyama is at the hospital, looking for Hinata but finds Daichi instead, who breaks the news of Hinata's accident to him. Sakunami is understandably upset and relates the incident as precisely as he can to Kageyama. Daichi keeps him company until he has news from Moniwa, who is part of the Emergency Medicine department of the hospital.
> 
>  
> 
> uh????that's all,,, did u guis like it i tried to angst but the next chapter will be less angst and more idk shippy and stuff man idk pls stay tuned and yano idk not abandon this story like im about to haha


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> here's some floof for those of you wondering about Semi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all, take care of your friends/family and don't let them overwork! it's exam season!

**Torono, Miyagi Prefecture.**   
**Semi Eita’s Residence.**   
**Tuesday.**   
**20xx/xx/xx.**

Semi has a headache. It’s a good headache, though, the kind you get when you wake up after sleeping too long, not the kind that he’d suffered from for the last week, you know, the _holy-fucking-shit-I need-to-finish-my-work-or-else-Death_ kind. _Nervous breakdown, Semi-kun_ , Narita had said, _take a few days off_. “Take a few days off, he says, like, no Narita-kun I have great respect for you but paperwork doesn’t do itself—yes I’m coming.” The incessant ringing of his doorbell (he’d forgotten he still has that annoying device) announces the arrival of the one and only—

“Semisemi! How are you feeling now? I would’ve come by sooner but Wakatoshi wanted to see you too and I had to wait up for him! You didn’t reply to my texts!”

“I was sleeping”, mumbles Semi, sidestepping to allow his guests to enter and call out a ‘pardon the intrusion’. He’d actively tried to avoid the other man, still feeling guilty over the broken mug. He hasn’t been to his office, except to pack certain things (like his cell phone, not his papers, Oikawa has eyes like a hawk) and hadn’t found all the pieces to glue the mug back. He hadn’t found the energy to get out and look for one so he hopes Tendou won’t question him.

“We got you ice cream!”

“And a plant.” Semi turns to look at his other guest. It wasn’t often he saw Wakatoshi outside the hospital. Or even inside it, their jobs made sure of that. Being the hospital’s CFO, Ushijima Wakatoshi held the inner workings and other miscellanies in the palm of his hand. Which is currently cradling a small aloe plant in a purple pot. 

“You still look really pale, Eita. Are you sure you should be out of bed?”

Semi shakes his head and says, “it’s been 24 hours, I’m allowed up. Just not caffeine. Or paperwork.” His face scrunches, displeasure evident in his tone.

“It’s for the best”, Ushijima nods as he looks around for a place to put the plant down. 

“Yes! So, how are you feeling now? Better? You did us a scare with that stunt, Semisemi.” Tendou is already in the kitchen, presumably looking for coffee and the other 56 mugs he keeps over at Semi’s house.

“I’m _fine_ and can you _please_ quit talking like that?” Semi shakes his head and points to the sofa, gesturing for Ushijima to have a seat and make himself comfortable. 

Tendou pokes his head out of the kitchen. “Semisemi, you’re doing me a hurt.”

“I’ll do you a hurt alright if you don’t get out of my kitchen. There’s no caffeine because I’m not allowed any. Iwaizumi and Sawamura confiscated all of it earlier.”

“Oh. Makes sense. Where’s ice cream, Wakatoshi? It’ll melt if we don’t eat it!”

Everything works out relatively peacefully, or, as peacefully as it can with Tendou sprouting nonsense (none about the hospital, much to Semi’s chagrin, he’s eager to know what he’s missed out on) but it’s familiar, and Semi can do with some familiar right now.

The ice cream is served and Tendou is quiet, save for random slurping noises while Semi makes comfortable small talk with Ushijima. Talking to Ushijima always has a calming effect on Semi, and he suspects it is because Ushijima is a celestial being put upon the earth to ease others’ pain. Isn’t that why he’s at the hospital?

Tendou, having finally finished slurping his ice cream, turns to Semi and utters the most ridiculous set of words he could possibly come up with. It's not like Semi is thinking about it anyway. _Nuh uh._

“So, Semisemi, did Kenjirou-kun come by and kiss you better?”

Semi’s been wondering the same thing.

Fortunately, Ushijima breaks the tense silence that lies over the living room by announcing that their friend Reon sent over some food because he knows Semi can’t (won’t) cook for himself and since it’s Reon’s job anyway, he’s prepared a little bit to keep Semi going.

And by ‘little’ he means 9 different parcels of Reon’s best heavenly food. Has he mentioned Reon is the head chef at Jogi Tofuten which makes the best _okonomiyaki_ in the country. Which is what’s in the first container. Semi could cry because he hasn’t eaten regular food in what seem like millennia.

Pretending to tear up a little, Tendou springs up and proceeds towards the kitchen to put away the food, reminding Semi of his late mother. He wonders what his peers would say if they knew their terrifying guess monster of a doctor could be loving and motherly in the worst possible way?

He almost breaks out in laughter, imagining a likely scenario involving snark, poor attempts at comebacks, and Dr. Tsukishima. He is once again saved from inevitable Death By Tendou by Ushijima (an actual celestial being, put upon this earth to cleanse it of pain and sorrow and suffering) who states that they have intruded upon Semi’s privacy too long and will now be taking their leave despite Tendou’s whines about “what if Semi dies of loneliness?” “Satori, he’s lived alone longer than you have.” “but still!!” “no buts.”

They take their leave and Semi is tempted to try some of the food. Unused to so much free time, Semi wonders if he should log on to his email, just to see what announcements he’s been missing out on. Surely, the hospital has noticed his absence and contacted him to ask after his health? He’s just going to scroll through, of course, not actually do any work—

“I’m going to uninstall the doorbell”, Semi grumbles as he shuffles towards the door. His habits have taken a toll on his physical state, he is annoyed that he wants to stomp but he knows that it will make his head sway frustratingly. He hates that.

“Yes, Satori, what did you leave behind _now_ —“ he says, he swings the door open and stops. He doesn’t know if he wants to scream or if that too will make his head sway. He settles for a quiet stare, hoping his expression will give his visitor some kind of indication about his current thought process.

“Are you going to let me in or should I go back?”, asks Shirabu, quirking an eyebrow. It is barely visible under his uneven ugly ass fringe.

“Back to hell?” Semi quips.

“Yeah, I don’t like leaving my throne empty for too long. It gets cold.” Shirabu doesn’t even bat an eyelid, this banter is like breathing now.

“Just like your heart, Shirabu-kun. Come in, I’m sure you’re here to give me a piece of your mind about how I should ‘do my goddamn work so we don’t get yelled at by Washijou-san again’ hmm?” Semi moves to let Shirabu in and looks around the kitchen for some coff— _tea_ , yes, there should be some. When did he get so dependent on coffee? Maybe the coffee maker at work is haunted? He remembers when Iwaizumi had practically begged to have the coffee maker installed in his office because Oikawa was all too dependent on it and would Semi mind _terribly_?

Semi, of course, didn’t. not at the time. Except he’d succumbed to its evil powers. What part of your soul did you have to sell to stay awake and be productive? Before Semi can contemplate further, Shirabu speaks up.

“No, actually, that’s why I’m here.” _Deep breaths, Kenjirou, you’re not asking him to marry you_. “Why didn’t you tell me? That you had extra hours?”

“I didn’t want you overworked.” Comes a reply in which Semi is still looking for his tin of Darjeeling tea. Under the sink, for some reason.

“Overworked? Overworked? You mean, like you are? You collapsed in the middle of the most deserted hallway in the hospital!”

“Mmm no, I’m pretty sure it’s the basement mortuary hallway that’s the most deserted. That is if we don’t count the interns hanging around. They’re like wild animals, waiting to snatch up a body to dissect. It’s creepy.” Semi says with a chuckle, now searching the cupboards overhead for the tea.

_How can you joke about it? When you could have been hurt so badly?_ Shirabu doesn’t know how to put across his sentiments. On one hand, he knows Semi just wants to forget about the whole ordeal, he’s a senior doctor, and head of a department and just wants to be spared the embarrassment. On the other hand, Shirabu just really really wants to take Semi by the shoulders and shake him until his teeth rattle because _how could you, Semi-san, how dare you, what if you’d suffered worse? What about your department, you selfish idiot, what about **me**?_

He doesn’t realize he’s shaking with rage and he also doesn’t realize that he’s spat the words out and Semi has halted his treasure hunt for the likely non-existent pack of tea.

They stare at each other— Shirabu, in dawning horror, and Semi, bathed in a light pink blush.

A good 30 seconds have elapsed and Shirabu regains control of his limbs and makes a dash for the door. He has likely forgotten that Semi is 1) taller than him and therefore capable of moving faster than he is, even in his unhealthy state with a “no, no, wait!” which brings us to 2) they crash into a door which Shirabu remembers belatedly closing.

He now finds himself holding an unconscious Semi. So he does what most regular people would do in a similar situation. He panics because _what if he killed Semi-san before he’d even said he’d liked him oh god no_ —oh. Semi’s just dazed. But apparently not dazed enough to conveniently forget that Shirabu practically declared his love for him. _Goddamnit, brain, I told you we didn’t come her to ask for his hand in marriage._

_Wow_ he thinks _I really shouldn’t have made fun of Yahaba’s brain to mouth filter there must be something in the water supply_ because Semi’s staring up at him delightedly. Or maybe because he now has so much blackmail material that Shirabu may as well change his name to Semi-san’s-slave. 

“You’re too young for that, Shirabu.” And then he has the fucking _gall_ to kiss him.

Later, when they're both in Semi's bed because Semi finally admits that he still feels like a wrung-out kitchen sponge, Semi's phone buzzes with a text from Tendou:

**miracle best friend** : _hey also i know about the mug dw about it i have another over at wakkuns place bc he got one at the comiccon last year gws ly semisemi_

Semi could cry with relief but instead buries his face in Shirabu's hair and receives a mild pinch in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those of you wondering what Semi's doorbell sounds like: [here you go](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFgyiDGWXkM)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the kagehina cliffhanger ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES OK I KNOW I HAVENT UPDATED IN YEARS BUT WRITERS BLOCK OK

****

**Miyagi Hospital, Miyagi Prefecture.  
** **Accidents & Emergencies Wing waiting room.  
** **Tuesday.  
** **20xx/xx/xx.**

Suga struggles to move past the _sea_ of people that seem to occupy the halls today without spilling the warm drinks on himself. Somehow managing to make his way to the waiting room, he quickly locates Daichi and Kageyama and heads over.

Daichi is holding Kageyama by the shoulders, rubbing comforting circles while Kageyama has his head tucked between his knees. The scene tugs at Suga’s heartstrings because he cannot fathom what the younger man is going through. Approaching carefully, so as to not scald himself, he whispers quietly, “how is he holding up?” to Daichi. 

Daichi looks up and gratefully accepts a warm cup of hot chocolate from Suga and whispers back, “he’s stopped crying but I don’t want him to wake up, Suga, I mean, you weren’t there, it was awful. He was so _distraught_ , I never thought I’d see him like that.” Daichi looks close to tears himself.

Suga steels himself as Kageyama blinks awake. His tear stained face makes Suga want to dump the piping hot drinks on his body because that would hurt less than seeing his friend absolutely wrecked and heartbroken. He quickly offers Kageyama a cup and says, “it’s plain warm milk. Drink up.” He doesn’t add the whole ‘you’ll feel better’ crap because he knows they’ll just be empty words.

Once Kageyama accepts the drink, Suga sits on his other side, carefully putting his arm around the younger man, and tilts his head onto his shoulder, both to relieve Daichi (who looks like he will pee any moment) and to offer wordless solace. Kageyama doesn’t resist and sinks into the touch. He sips his milk quietly, reminding Suga of his young patients who had a tendency to calm down after a warm mug of milk before bed. He knows it’s the best comfort he can offer Kageyama at the moment because words will not do justice to what either of them is feeling right now.

His thoughts slip away to Hinata. He shuts his eyes quickly before he can cry, but he can feel the tears prickling his eyelids. _Hinata, sweet, innocent Shouyou, how could you be so careless? I will not forgive you if you die_. Suga leans back and sips his hot chocolate. It does little to comfort him. He can feel Kageyama crying again and he doesn’t know what to say. Instead, he puts his drink down and hugs Kageyama, unable to stifle his own sobs. They stay like that, trying to wash away their sadness and discomfort and _fear_ because they can _not_ lose Hinata, who _didn’t deserve this, who had his whole life before him_. The four of them had planned a vacation to Kyoto next weekend along with Kiyoko and Yachi, how could everything go so terribly _wrong_? 

This is how Daichi finds them, wrapped in each other’s arms, tears spilling, milk forgotten. It breaks his heart to see them upset and terrified. Truth be told, even though he’s worked at the hospital for many years now, he has never felt, _never had the need to feel_ , so scared and vulnerable and terrified. When he’d spotted Kageyama wandering around the A&E, he’d wondered why the man hadn’t a shred of negative emotion showing on his face. He’d soon realized after he’d (quite tactlessly, he muses ruefully) informed him of Hinata’s situation.

It wasn’t that he was unconcerned about Hinata right now. He’d texted Suga the moment he’d walked in on Moniwa and Hana’s conversation. He’s known the boys for nearly twenty years now, and he’d never once seen Kageyama go as white as he had when Sakunami had recounted the nightmarish event, not when they’d played and lost important volleyball matches, not before he gave his entrance exams, not when he first lost a patient, not even when he’d asked Hinata to marry him (though truth be told, maybe that was because Hinata had proposed _at the same exact time in front all their friends_ ). Seeing him like that, you know, all vulnerable and small, like he was visibly trying to remove himself from the world to extinguish the pain. Daichi was used to Kageyama’s pessimistic outlook, it is one of the many, many things that make Kageyama and Hinata the almost perfect pair, with Hinata’s bubbly, honest optimism countering Kageyama’s bouts of negativity and cynical tendencies. He’d wanted to shake some sense into him, yelling _he’s not dead you dumbass!_ Whether this was an attempt to instill hope into Kageyama’s heart or his own, he is still unaware.

He has more than enough faith in Hinata’s ability to not give up.

( _He has to_ ).

He believes in Moniwa’s and his team’s expertise in such matters.

( _He has to_ ).

Perhaps, he likes to believe, someone has to stay cheerful in Hinata’s absence.

( _He only hopes—secretly, of course—that it isn’t permanent_ ).

Daichi takes his seat next to Kageyama and silently offers him his handkerchief to wipe away his tears and the remnants of his milk-stache.

He feels like a dad when Suga catches his eye and gives him a small watery smile.

While blowing his nose, Kageyama is aware he should be thankful for having friends—no, _family_ —like Daichi and Suga with him right now. He only wishes he didn’t _have to_ be in this situation. He can’t bear to think about it but at the same time, it’s all that he can think about. Even if he wasn’t there when…it happened, he can see it clear as day in his mind’s eye. He is terrified of closing his eyes for fear of what he might see next behind closed lids.

It’s funny how the mind makes irrelevant observations when confronted with certain strong emotions (Kageyama recalls That One Psychology Lecture at University). If he hadn’t been so overwhelmed, he could’ve recorded the exact moment he transitioned between The Five Stages of Grief that his teacher had started the class with. Emphasizing on each—

starting with _denial_ (when he’d disbelieved Daichi’s news and refused to admit that something terrible had befallen Hinata), _anger_ (when he’d nearly beat Sakunami up for delivering the news like the brave man he was), _bargaining_ (with Rintarou, who’d come to apologize, to be let into Hinata’s room, he _swears_ he won't disturb anyone it’s just—Rintarou had almost caved in too, the boy was shaken with distress and dread, when Daichi had cut in and shut him down as gently as he could). He supposes he’s somewhere between the depression stage and acceptance, although he’s pretty sure that the last two steps were for when death is involved (he doesn’t remember because he hadn’t gone back after that one day).

He feels exhausted beyond belief as if he’s aged fifty years in two hours. He’s frustrated because no one will tell him how Hinata is. Most of all, he’s scared he’ll be alone again, in the dark, dark world, with no ball of sunlight and happiness to guide him. He may not admit it out loud but somewhere along the way, Hinata had become his reason for living. Hinata’s all he has, ever since his mother passed away, and he knows he’s all Hinata has, ever since his parents moved to Tokyo. So he doesn’t want to wonder about what happens _after_. Thinking about it makes him want to cry again. He _hates_ crying.

He feels Daichi stand up before he looks up to see an incredibly tired Moniwa who looks like he’s about to drop any moment but has a small smile on his face. Kageyama almost can’t believe it, doesn’t want to because _what if it’s a trick_ \- when Moniwa says it.

“You’re alive”, he breathes to Hinata, who looks all _wrong_ , frail and delicate with a tube sticking out of one arm and has a multitude of bruises in varying shades of red and purple decorating his body and lying down unconscious to the rest of the world. Kageyama repeats the phrase over and over like a mantra and when Hinata finally opens his eyes, the first thing he sees are Kageyama’s blue eyes in stark contrast to the red he’d seen and felt before he’s passed out. He wonders if he’s dead because he’d honest-to-god thought he’d never see Kageyama again, and here he is in his very arms. 

“I’m sorry about this. I know it was our day off”, he murmurs. Kageyama lifts his hand (the one that doesn’t have a tube sticking out of it) and presses it to his lips and whispers a ‘dumbass’ with a watery smile on his face. It makes Hinata giggle (and cough and groan because it _hurts_ ) and suddenly, all is right with the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES OK SO I KNOW IT'S RLY SHITTY PLS 4GIVE ME HWFKNXL  
> also, it is with great regret I must inform you that this will 100% be the last chapter I upload for this story. I have A Bunch of national exams coming up and I really don't want to screw this fic up by rushing and doing a shoddy job. You don't deserve it, and neither do the characters. So if you're willing to wait a couple of months ( _at least_ ), I'd be ecstatic. However, I'd also understand if you wanted to drop this fic because _@ me why r u like this_.
> 
> So long, and thanks for all the fish.  
> -andy
> 
> (if you really, really want to know what happens later on in the fic, or just wanna see how I'm getting along, come find me at my tumblr: [@cosmogonalley](http://cosmogonalley.tumblr.com/#))


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-emergencies, Ennoshita visits Tanaka and Noya.

**Sendai City Station, Miyagi prefecture.  
** **Friday.  
** **20xx/xx/xx.**

Ennoshita’s arms are tired. He’s been waiting for the last fifteen minutes for Tanaka to show up and he’s been holding this cold six-pack of beer and he can’t feel his fingers. He feels a complaint coming on, when his phone rings shrilly, alerting citizens around him that he indeed listens to shitty pop music. _Fucking great_ he thinks, and picks up, somehow trying not to let the beers, himself, or his expression fall when he realises the bald person on the platform isn’t Tanaka. There’s way too many bald people in Sendai. Is it some kind of a fashion statement?

“I’m really really really really sorry I’m late! I know you hate me right now and stuff but the traffic sucks I’m sorry! I’m almost there, though, where are you waiting?” Tanaka is loud and apologetic over the phone and Ennoshita’s face breaks into a smile. _What an idiot_ he thinks, affectionately. To Tanaka he says, “I’m at the west exit, outside the general store.”

“Right, I got it. Be there in a few!”

_Click._

Ennoshita’s been looking forward to this evening. The last week has been one disaster after the next. First, the Noya thing (seriously, what a dolt), then Semi-san (who was the one who’d shown him around on his first day) had collapsed, and then he’d heard about Hinata’s accident. He hopes that misfortunes occurred in threes and the unfortunate spell had broken. He was quite looking forward to this break. Granted, the extra work hadn’t burdened him as much as, say, Semi-san had been (he really ought to send a card and some flowers) but he’d tried to help out in other places, like the surgery waiting rooms and minor paperwork for the administration staff.

He’s still smiling dorkily at his phone when someone taps his shoulder. “Are you Ennoshita Chikara?” A lady asks before she breaks into a smile. 

“Well?” she asks, raising her eyebrow.

“Yes. And you are…?” Ennoshita can't place her in his head.

“Tanaka Saeko. Ryuu’s sister? He can’t really do much except hobble about, so I had to drive his here to pick you up. Let’s go, he’s in the car waiting for us.” She leads them back to the car and Ennoshita scolds Tanaka, “You didn’t have to come get me, I could’ve caught the bus or something.”

“My brother just really wanted to see you, and what am I if not an indulgent enabler?” She’s grinning at him through the rearview mirror and Tanaka is blushing but Ennoshita thinks it could be mistaken for the lights from outside.

“How’s the leg?” 

“Hurts like a bitch.”

“It wouldn’t if you, I don’t know, didn’t move around like you had a rabid dog running after you all the time.”

Tanaka squawks indignantly as his sister delivers blow after blow of scathing remarks and Ennoshita can barely keep in his giggles.

Suddenly, Saeko turns to Ennoshita and asks after Hinata. It suddenly strikes Ennoshita. “Oh! You’re the one that helped his EMS unit out! Thank you so much!” He tries to bow while sitting before realising his mistake. He sits up again, smiling sheepishly.

“He’s still at the hospital, they’re not done monitoring his vitals yet, but he’s doing better.” Pause. “I don’t think he’ll be able to return to working at the hospital anytime soon, though.”

Saeko is grim when she says the police have a possible suspect. A moment of silence passes between them before being shattered to bits by Tanaka’s ringing phone. Which, incidentally, plays the same shitty pop music that Ennoshita’s does.

Saeko, much to Ennoshita’s chagrin, isn’t the best driver out on the roads. Her turns leave much to be desired and Ennoshita is 700% sure she’s above the legal speed limit. Thankfully the roads are relatively empty and the city folk seem to know to keep out of Saeko’s way.

“We’re home!” Saeko announces as they turn (rather sharply) and stop (abruptly enough for Tanaka’s face to smoosh into the front seat of the car).

“Thank God,” Tanaka mutters softly to himself. 

“What did you say, Ryuu?” Saeko asks dangerously, not-so-gently tugging at Tanaka’s ear.

“You rock, you rock! That’s what I said, ow, let go!” 

“Ennoshita has, so far, been busy trying (and failing) to contain his giggles when he catches Tanaka smiling at him _oh so softly._

I’m so screwed he thinks.

“So Noya-san called and he’s right outside the apartment, come on!” Tanaka practically falls over himself in his haste to get to the elevator.

“Easy, tiger, let’s remember you have an injury,” Ennoshita says holding on to Tanaka’s shoulder, and practically carrying him to the elevator.

“You really should’ve waited at home,” Nishinoya comments when he sees them step out of the elevator.

“Yeah, yeah, can we get in already? I want to sit.”

Somehow they manage to open the door and Saeko takes her leave to visit Akiteru (“I haven’t seen him since your friend was hurt, I have to tell him how it all worked out. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t, Ryuu!”).

**Miyagi Prefecture.**   
**[xxx] Apartments**   
**Sendai City Centre.**   
**20xx/xx/xx.**

“So, how’re you doing Nishinoya? I haven’t really seen you around the hospital these days,” Ennoshita says.

“You know how it is at the hospital, it’s been busy, I haven’t had the chance to…see anyone, really.” Nishinoya opens a can of beer while Tanaka and Ennoshita exchange worried glances.

Nishinoya has almost finished his first can when Ennoshita voices his concern. “Nishinoya, how—how are you feeling these days?”

He regrets the question almost immediately when Nishinoya looks at him.

“What do you think, Chikara? I’m assuming you heard about it? And Shouyou, too.” He sniffs a little at that.

Ennoshita is disturbed. Nishinoya couldn’t, _shouldn’t_ be acting this way. He was enthusiastic and brash and ready for new things, full of smiles, not serious and downcast. 

“Yeah, I did. I—we were thinking you could, you know. Find out. If you wanted to.” Ennoshita cringes inwardly at his stellar delivery. _Props to him. Someone fetch his award._

“Find out what.”

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Nishinoya does not (and mostly will try his best to not) care about confronting the issue. Which is absolutely unlike him. Which means that Azumane-san must have been a somewhat important figure in Nishinoya’s life.

“You said you didn’t wait for an answer. Don’t you want to find out?” Tanaka tries.

“You didn’t see him, Ryuu. He looked at me like I was out of my mind. I don’t think should’ve said anything.” His voice sounds rough, as if he was choking back tears. Ennoshita wants to cry too because the situation seems so impossible.

They drink in silence for a while until Tanaka suggests he and Noya show Ennoshita their volleyball videos from high school.

Needless to say, this was a bad Idea.

Tanaka and Noya had been on the same team in high school along with quite a number of Ennoshita’s peers. He recognised quite a few of them, even acoss the net (there’s Oikawa, and is that Iwaizumi-san? _Oh my gosh what is Futakuchi’s hair style, can I borrow this tape, please?_ )

Tanaka is enthusiastic whenever their team scores. It’s clear that both Noya and Tanaka have watched these multiple times over, and almost can’t wait to show Ennoshita how good Karasuno was when they’d been allowed to be proud of such a prestigious team.

However, Noya falls silent every time Azumane (yes, neonatal care and NICU Azumane Asahi) appears on the screen. Ennoshita kind of feels like a jerk but Tanaka looks so happy, reminiscing days gone by.

Suddenly, their video watching is interrupted by a loud ringing.

“Hey, Ryuu can you check who it is? My phone is right next to your butt. Is it the hospital?” Nishinoya asks, looking anxious.

Well, well, well. Ennoshita has watched enough movies to know without looking it isn’t the hospital. He only hopes that the call results in bridging Noya’s relationship.

Tanaka doesn’t respond, and Nishinoya doesn’t seem to care. Maybe it has something to do with the cheesy ringtone it’s playing. He grabs it right out of Tanaka’s hand, Tanaka who’s looking over at Ennoshita, his face a clear mixture of worry and hope. Even in such tense moments, Ennoshita can’t help but appreciate how much Tanaka wears his heart on his sleeve.

Noya looks at the phone for the whole chorus of the song. Just when Ennoshita thinks it’s going to stop ringing, he picks up.

“ _Hello?_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i APOLOGISE FOR BEING AN ABSOLUTE DOLT AND NOT UPDATING AAAAAAH  
> yes, i was trying to (hypothetically) run away from writing asanoya and ennotana because i don't want to fail at it. yikes. mission failed ??? who knows. ooc nishinoya def yells f a i l e d to me.
> 
> there you are friends, chapter 14 of this fic. i had to reread the whole thing to remember what happened and can i just say...thank you so much to all of you who stuck around? thank you. i appreciate it very much.
> 
> a fair warning: my writing style has changed a bit from when i started this so if the tone seems a little...light, you would be correct in spotting it. thank you.
> 
> AS ALWAYS, COMMENT N KUDOS R APPRECIATED MAYBE I'LL EVEN FINISH THIS HAHAHA goodnight

**Author's Note:**

> hey :D  
> credit to my friends' lovely mums who willingly put up with m extremely specific and slightly unnerving questions to the best of their abilities even though neither of them are orthopaedics, surgery consultants, or cardiologists.  
> you're the real mvps.
> 
> (and the receptionist at my local hospital for allowing me to take pictures of the directory and layout, ygg)
> 
> ONCE AGAIN, IM NOT A DOCTOR, PLEASE DONT TAKE THESE PROGNOSES TO HEART, GO TO YOUR REGULAR PHYSICIAN AND TAKE CARE OF URSELF.
> 
> hmu at [my hq tumblr](http://badlydrawn-haikyuu.tumblr.com) or [my main tumblr](http://cosmogonalley.tumblr.com)


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